These synchronized galaxies are upending what we know about the universe

The unexpected behaviour of small satellite galaxies
is proving a headache for current models
of the structure of the universe.
Existing theories predict that small galaxies
orbiting around a larger host galaxy
should move pretty much randomly
but new research shows that the galaxies orbiting
Centaurus A, around 12 million light years from Earth,
are circling in the same direction.
Researchers have observed that,
from our Earth-bound perspective,
the satellite galaxies on one side of Centaurus A
tend to be coming towards us,
while those on the other side are moving away,
indicating that they are rotating in the same direction.
Of the 16 satellite galaxies examined,
14 appeared to be moving the same way,
but simulations of galaxy formation only produced
this arrangement less than half of a percent of the time.
Astronomers have observed similar galactic behaviour
closer to home: the galaxies orbiting both the Milky Way
and our nearest neighbor Andromeda also seem
to rotate in the same direction and in thin planes
Researchers say that the likelihood that these
three coherent planes of galaxies
all arose by chance is astronomically small –
suggesting that cosmological models
may need tweaking.
Why Mars Died, and Earth Lived Webb Telescope Deployment Sequence The Most Satisfying Video In The World Snippet: Listen to an orca imitate a person How a Mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in Mexico—and ended up losing his faith Breakthrough of the Year, 2017 COSMOS: Space Odyssey 4K | Nature Relaxation™ Video ft. NASA & Music by Aaron Static Why do we keep making robots that look like people? How do ultrafast snapping shrimp close their claws so quickly? Meet the world’s first salad-eating shark

These synchronized galaxies are upending what we know about the universe

Latest Posts