Astronomers stunned by giant rotating chain of 14 galaxies—possibly the 'largest spinning object' ever discovered
Using the MeerKAT, a group of 64 connected radio telescopes, a team of astronomers has come across what may be the “largest spinning object” in the known universe. What’s more, its rotation may be holding valuable clues to the formation of galaxies in the early universe.
The object in question is a cosmic filament, a thread-like chain of gas that is about 5.5 million light-years in length and 117,000 light-years in width. To put things into perspective, that’s wider than the Milky Way. According to the study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, what brought the filament, which is 140 million light-years away, to the notice of the researchers was the 14 galaxies, rich in hydrogen, linked to it in a chain formation.
Measurements revealed that the filament is rotating at a speed of 68 miles per second. And the galaxies around them? Well, they are moving, too. “You can liken it to the teacups ride at a theme park. Each galaxy is like a spinning teacup, but the whole platform - the cosmic filament - is rotating too,” explained co-lead author Dr. Lyla Jung of the University of Oxford, per the Daily Mail.
What is even more interesting is that while most galaxies are moving in the same direction as the gaseous thread connecting them. Threads like this connect galactic clusters, allowing the movement of galaxies and gas between them. The fact that some of the galaxies are moving in the same direction as the filament in question is a strong indication that cosmic structures can also influence the rotation of galaxies. “What makes this structure exceptional is not just its size, but the combination of spin alignment and rotational motion,” added Dr. Jung. “This dual motion gives us rare insight into how galaxies gain their spin from the larger structures they live in.”
Team member Madalina Tudorache, who’s also an astronomer at the University of Oxford, told Live Science that the filament is “probably the largest spinning object” detected as of now. Per her, it is “a fossil record of cosmic flows." But while the filament may be a time capsule of sorts, the abundance of hydrogen in it indicates that, in cosmic terms, it is quite young. Hydrogen is key to star formation, so when galaxies have it in abundance, it is a sign that they are either retaining or gathering fuel to form stars. And since the filament is in its “dynamically cold” state, or low level of internal motion, it is quite likely that it is in the early stages of its evolution.
Future data collected through the MIGHTEE (MeerKAT International Ghz Tiered Extragalactic Exploration) survey could reveal further insights into the filament’s behavior, which, in turn, may prove future surveys with instruments like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. While scientists had long suspected the existence of structures like this, they hadn’t been able to detect one till now due to the lack of appropriate telescopes. In fact, the research team thinks that the scientific community may come across similar filaments in the future as telescope technology continues to develop.
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