Scientists have identified what appears to be the largest rotating structure ever observed in the universe, a vast filament of galaxies, gas and dark matter stretching roughly 50 million light-years.
The thread-like structure, located about 140 million light-years from Earth, contains nearly 300 galaxies and was studied mainly through South Africa's MeerKAT radio array. Researchers say the filament rotates as a whole while individual galaxies also spin, creating a layered motion that helps trace the shape of the cosmic web.
Current data makes these structures difficult to detect
Measurements indicate opposing motions on each side of the filament, suggesting a rotational speed of around 396,000 km/h, offering new insight into how large-scale cosmic structures behave and how matter clusters across the universe.
Filaments form the backbone of the cosmic web, linking dense galaxy clusters and surrounding vast empty regions. Scientists expect more rotating structures to exist but say current data makes them difficult to detect. The study has been published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
<social>https://x.com/ExploreCosmos_/status/1997312883244327385?s=20</social>