Astronomers spot one of the largest spinning structures in the universe

image via New Scientist

February 16, 2026, 11:45 AM

• •A spinning cosmic filament, 50 million light-years long, has been discovered.
• •The filament contains over 280 galaxies, all rotating in sync.
• •The discovery provides insight into galaxy formation and dark matter.
• •The filament is still accreting material, with galaxies rich in hydrogen.

Astronomers have identified a massive, spinning cosmic filament, a chain of galaxies rotating in sync, located 400 million light-years away. This structure, containing hundreds of galaxies, offers new insights into galaxy formation and the distribution of dark matter within the cosmic web. Using data from the MeerKAT radio telescope, the team observed the filament's rotation, a phenomenon not previously seen on such a large scale. This discovery provides a unique opportunity to study the role of filaments in the universe's evolution and measure dark matter content.

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