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Astronomers Discover Spinning Cosmic Filament Affecting Galaxy Formation

Astronomers Discover Spinning Cosmic Filament Affecting Galaxy Formation

Astronomers have identified a massive cosmic filament, part of the universe's large-scale structure, spinning and influencing the motion of 14 galaxies. This discovery was made using data from South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope, along with observations from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The filament, located approximately 424 million light-years away, is the largest known spinning structure, measuring around 117,000 light-years across and 5.5 million light-years long. The galaxies within this filament are moving at 250,000 miles per hour, suggesting a synchronized rotation influenced by gravitational interactions with the filament. This phenomenon provides insights into galaxy formation and evolution, as the transfer of angular momentum from the filament to the galaxies is a key factor in their development.

Galaxies Spin on Cosmic Filament, Revealing New Insights

Galaxies Spin on Cosmic Filament, Revealing New Insights

Astronomers have discovered a vast cosmic filament, located approximately 140 million light-years from Earth, with galaxies spinning along it like a teacup ride. This structure, one of the largest in the universe, consists of ionized gas and dark matter, serving as a cosmic thread that connects galaxies. The filament's rotation, at 110 kilometers per second, challenges previous theories about galaxy formation, suggesting a more coherent transfer of angular momentum. The discovery was made using the MeerKAT radio telescope and further observations from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

James Webb Space Telescope Captures 'Cosmic Tornado' Phenomenon

James Webb Space Telescope Captures 'Cosmic Tornado' Phenomenon

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a striking image of a 'cosmic tornado' in the Herbig-Haro 49/50 region, located approximately 630 light-years from Earth. This phenomenon is created by energetic jets from a nearby newly-forming star interacting with dense gas and dust, resulting in a tornado-like shape in space. The image is part of the 2025 Space Telescope Advent Calendar, which features daily releases of cosmic images leading up to December 25. The 'tip' of the tornado-like structure is actually a distant spiral galaxy, unrelated to the Herbig-Haro object.

V Sagittae Star System Predicted to End in Daytime Supernova Visible from Earth

V Sagittae Star System Predicted to End in Daytime Supernova Visible from Earth

The star system V Sagittae, located about 10,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagitta, is predicted to end in a spectacular supernova explosion visible from Earth even during the daytime. This system consists of a white dwarf and a more massive stellar companion, which are locked in a tight orbit, completing a cycle every 12.3 hours. The white dwarf is currently accreting material from its companion at an unprecedented rate, leading to a chaotic accretion process and extreme brightness. Researchers have confirmed that this process will eventually culminate in the two stars colliding, resulting in a supernova explosion. This event is expected to occur as early as 2067, according to a study by Louisiana State University.

Geminid Meteor Shower to Illuminate December Skies with Vibrant Displays

Geminid Meteor Shower to Illuminate December Skies with Vibrant Displays

The annual Geminid meteor shower, known for its vibrant and colorful displays, is set to peak on the night of December 13 into the early morning of December 14. This meteor shower, which originates from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, is expected to produce between 50 to 120 meteors per hour in optimal viewing conditions. The Geminids are unique among meteor showers as they are composed of rocky particles rather than ice, resulting in bright streaks of light as they burn up in Earth's atmosphere. This year's viewing conditions are expected to be particularly favorable due to minimal moonlight interference.

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory Unveils New Technique to Analyze Galaxy Clusters

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory Unveils New Technique to Analyze Galaxy Clusters

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has introduced a novel image-processing technique called 'X-arithmetic' to analyze X-ray data from galaxy clusters. This method allows astronomers to classify features in the gas of galaxy clusters by their nature rather than just appearance. The technique was applied to 15 galaxy clusters and groups, revealing differences in the structures formed by black hole outbursts. The study found that galaxy groups show more shock fronts and less cooling gas compared to galaxy clusters, suggesting stronger black hole feedback in groups. This research, led by Hannah McCall from the University of Chicago, provides a new tool for understanding the physical processes inside these cosmic giants.

NASA's Hubble Telescope Captures Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS as It Passes Earth

NASA's Hubble Telescope Captures Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS as It Passes Earth

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passed approximately 178 million miles from Earth. The images, released by NASA, show the comet's luminous nucleus and bright coma, with background stars appearing as streaks due to the telescope's tracking of the fast-moving object. This comet is only the third interstellar object confirmed to have entered our solar system, sparking significant interest among astronomers. The comet reached its closest point to the sun at the end of October and is expected to fly by Earth on December 19, maintaining a safe distance of about 170 million miles.

Largest Rotating Cosmic Structure of Galaxies and Dark Matter Detected

Largest Rotating Cosmic Structure of Galaxies and Dark Matter Detected

Scientists have observed the largest-known rotating structure in the universe, a filament composed of hundreds of galaxies, gas, and dark matter. This structure, part of the cosmic web, measures about 50 million light-years long and 117,000 light-years wide. Detected using the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa, the filament is located approximately 140 million light-years from Earth. The discovery provides new insights into the large-scale structure of the universe and the role of dark matter in cosmic formations.

Huge rotating structure of galaxies and dark matter is detected

Huge rotating structure of galaxies and dark matter is detected

By Will Dunham WASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Scientists have observed the largest-known rotating structure in the cosmos - a gargantuan thread-like assemblage of hundreds of galaxies, gas and dark matter that makes up a filament in the macrostructure of the universe called the cosmic web.

Astronomers Discover Spinning Cosmic Filament, Potentially Redefining Galaxy Formation

Astronomers Discover Spinning Cosmic Filament, Potentially Redefining Galaxy Formation

Astronomers have identified a vast cosmic filament, located approximately 140 million light-years from Earth, where galaxies are spinning in a manner akin to a teacup ride. This structure, part of the cosmic web, is composed of ionized gas and dark matter, and plays a crucial role in the formation and spin of galaxies. The filament, which stretches nearly 50 million light-years, was studied using the MeerKAT radio telescope and further observations from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The discovery of this filament's rotational motion challenges existing theories of galaxy formation, suggesting a more coherent transfer of angular momentum than previously thought.

Supermassive Black Hole Ejects Matter at High Speed in Magnetic Event

Supermassive Black Hole Ejects Matter at High Speed in Magnetic Event

An international team of astronomers has observed a supermassive black hole ejecting matter at speeds reaching 20% of the speed of light. The event, observed near the black hole NGC 3783, was captured using the XRISM space telescope. The ejection is believed to be caused by a process called magnetic reconnection, where sudden changes in magnetic fields release large amounts of energy. This phenomenon is similar to solar flares but on a much larger scale. The observation provides new insights into the behavior of black holes and their interactions with surrounding matter.

Supermassive Black Hole Flare Observed Triggering High-Speed Outflow

Supermassive Black Hole Flare Observed Triggering High-Speed Outflow

In a groundbreaking observation, astronomers have recorded a supermassive black hole in the galaxy NGC 3783 emitting a flare that triggered a high-speed outflow, known as an ultrafast outflow (UFO). This event, captured by the XMM-Newton and XRISM observatories, marks the first time the onset and evolution of such a flare and its resulting outflow have been observed. The black hole, located about 130 million light-years away, is consuming material at a rapid rate, causing the galactic center to emit intense X-rays. The flare is believed to have been caused by a magnetic field filament snapping and reconnecting, similar to solar flares but on a much larger scale.