Swiss Scientists Uncover Distant Spiral Galaxy

An international research team led by the University of Geneva has made a groundbreaking discovery by identifying the most distant known spiral galaxy to date. This galaxy, characterized by its flattened disc shape, emerged just one billion years after the Big Bang, significantly earlier than previously believed possible.

The formation of large spiral galaxies like our Milky Way was thought to require several billion years, but findings from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are challenging this long-held belief. The newly identified galaxy, currently referred to as a candidate spiral galaxy pending further validation, was reported by the University of Geneva.

The galaxy, nicknamed Zhúlóng--meaning 'Torch Dragon' in Chinese mythology--displays an unexpectedly mature structure for its age, featuring an ancient central bulge, a substantial star formation disk, and spiral arms. These characteristics are typically associated with galaxies that are much older and located further from the Big Bang. Zhúlóng bears a striking resemblance to the Milky Way in terms of its shape, size, and stellar mass.

Stretching over 60,000 light-years, Zhúlóng contains more than 100 billion solar masses worth of stars, positioning it as one of the most compelling analogs to our own galaxy at such an early point in cosmic history. This discovery raises intriguing questions about how massive and well-structured spiral galaxies could form so soon after the universe's inception.

Previously, astronomers believed that spiral structures would take billions of years to develop, with massive galaxies typically arising from the merger of smaller galaxies at later stages. Pascal Oesch, an associate professor in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Geneva, noted that this finding signifies a fundamental shift in our understanding of the early universe.

As researchers continue to analyze data from the JWST, they anticipate uncovering more galaxies of this type, which could provide deeper insights into the complex processes that shaped galaxies during the universe's formative years. This study will be published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.