UC Davis researchers discover young non-spinning galaxy with James Webb Telescope
Updated
Updated · KCRA Sacramento · May 5
UC Davis researchers discover young non-spinning galaxy with James Webb Telescope
13 articles · Updated · KCRA Sacramento · May 5
The team is now studying this galaxy and two others of similar age, with Benjamin Forrest saying the Webb data has exceeded expectations.
Researchers think a collision between two oppositely rotating galaxies may have halted the spin and are investigating how these systems formed stars and when star formation stopped.
The finding adds to evidence from galaxy XMM-VID1-2075 that some massive early galaxies lacked rotation, challenging models of galaxy formation and evolution.
Did a single galactic collision just 1.8 billion years after the Big Bang really halt the spin of a galaxy forever?
Are these ancient, massive galaxies proof that new physics is needed, or just that our models of star formation are incomplete?
XMM-VID1-2075: A Massive, Quiescent, Non-Rotating Galaxy in the Early Universe Reveals Rapid Merger-Driven Evolution
Overview
In May 2026, astronomers discovered galaxy XMM-VID1-2075, an exceptionally massive and quiescent galaxy from the early universe. Unlike typical young galaxies, it shows no significant rotation, indicating it is a slow rotator with chaotic stellar motions. This unusual state likely resulted from a colossal collision between two massive, counter-rotating precursor galaxies, which canceled out their angular momentum. The merger triggered a burst of star formation that rapidly built the galaxy's mass, followed by active galactic nucleus feedback that maintained its quiescence. This discovery challenges existing galaxy formation models and prompts new research to understand how such massive, inactive, slow-spinning galaxies formed so quickly after the Big Bang.