One of the most massive rotating structures ever observed in the Universe has been discovered by astronomers, a cosmic filament measuring 5.5 million light-years long and located about 140 million light-years from Earth. The structure includes more than 280 galaxies and consists of an extremely thin chain of 14 hydrogen-rich galaxies, aligned with unusual precision. By analyzing their motion, the scientific team has confirmed that the entire structure is rotating, an extremely rare phenomenon in the cosmos.
According to the Oxford University team, which led the study, this discovery could change the way science understands galaxy formation. The synchronized movement of the filament and the galaxies within it suggests that the cosmic web, a giant structure made up of dark matter, gas and galaxies, has a much more active role in creating angular momentum and the galaxies themselves than previously believed. Cosmic filaments are considered the “backbone” of the Universe, as they act as corridors through which gas and matter move and supply galaxies with the material needed for star formation. In this case, the chain of 14 galaxies lies perfectly along the axis of the filament, becoming a channel that transports gas to galaxies and drives high rates of star formation. The researchers say that the galaxies within the structure are still in the growth phase and could help reconstruct the earliest stages of cosmic evolution.
What has most surprised scientists is the phenomenon of “double rotation.” Each galaxy in the chain rotates on its own axis, while the entire structure rotates as a single unit, much like the bowling greens at an amusement park that spin around as the platform beneath them rotates. Measurements show that galaxies on opposite sides of the filament move in opposite directions, confirming the rotation at a speed of about 110 kilometers per second.
Scientists describe this filament as a “living fossil” of the early history of the Universe. Because of its high hydrogen content, the structure offers a rare window to directly study the processes that shaped galaxies billions of years ago. The filament appears to still be in a young and stable state, allowing astronomers to observe the skeleton of the Universe in its earliest stages of construction.
The discovery was made possible by the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa and optical observations from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, which have produced some of the most detailed images of a cosmic filament. The results were published in the scientific journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, opening a new chapter in the search for the origins of the Universe's largest structures.
