Galaxy with strangely-spinning clouds could unlock a cosmic mystery

Astronomers have discovered a galaxy with some strange clouds orbiting the supermassive black hole in the center. Rather than all circling in the same direction as is usually expected, the galaxy NGC 1068 has two rings that orbit in opposite directions. This phenomenon might go a long way towards explaining another long-standing cosmic puzzle.

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You go that way and I’ll go this way.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Galaxy with strangely-spinning clouds could unlock a cosmic mystery

Astronomers have discovered a galaxy with some strange clouds orbiting the supermassive black hole in the center. Rather than all circling in the same direction as is usually expected, the galaxy NGC 1068 has two rings that orbit in opposite directions. This phenomenon might go a long way towards explaining another long-standing cosmic puzzle.

more…

You go that way and I’ll go this way.

>In those cases, the cause is usually a collision with another galaxy that was spinning in the opposite direction. The researchers believe something similar may be at play in NGC 1068 – the backwards rotation may be the remnants of a smaller captured galaxy, or gas clouds that fell out of the host galaxy.

Or simply fluid turbulence. Different eddies in turbulent flow can always be found that rotate in different directions.

As for the growth of galactic mass black holes early in the universe, there are too many options for me to comment. Mollwollfumble’s ridiculous idea could even play a decisive role.