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Do all galaxies spin in the same direction?

Of course not.

Does the Milky Way spin counter-clockwise? If so, do all spiral galaxies spin in this direction and why?

When I see depictions of the Milky Way it appears that the objects within it move counter-clockwise. Is this accurate? If so, do all spiral galaxies spin in this direction and why?

The direction that the Milky Way spins depends on your perspective. For example, take a top and spin it clockwise on a glass table. Then look at the spinning top from below the glass table - it will appear to spin counter-clockwise now. Or similarly, draw an arrow on a piece of paper in the clockwise direction, then hold the paper up to a light, looking at it from the bottom - now the arrow goes in the counter-clockwise direction. Thus the direction of the spin of any galaxy depends on your perspective when you look at it.

Scientists believe that on large scales the Universe is isotropic (the same in all directions). Thus, from our perspective, half of all spiral galaxies should spin clockwise, and half counter-clockwise. A recent analysis of the spin of spiral galaxies confirms this. The public classified over 35,000 spiral galaxies with spins both clockwise and counter-clockwise in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey as part of the Galaxy Zoo project. Scientists published the results in a recent paper and found that the Universe is indeed isotropic - we see the same number of clockwise as counter-clockwise spirals (within the uncertainties).
July 2008, Shannon Gutenkunst
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http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=744
 
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Hmm. Well I was on another site where a debate was taking place on intelligent design and it derailed. One guys said that If everything came from one mass, every galaxy should should be spinning the same direction because of angular momentum.

Sounded kinda fishy. Thanks 🙂
 
Dominato3r said:
Hmm. Well I was on another site where a debate was taking place on intelligent design and it derailed. One guys said that If everything came from one mass, every galaxy should should be spinning the same direction because of angular momentum.
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Tell him that all galaxies are spinning the same direction. If the galaxy appears to be spinning the wrong direction, it's because he is looking at the galaxy from the bottom instead of the top.
 
is the distribution of galactic spins random in the heavens? or are there concentrations of 'like minded' galaxies? how do i find this out??-google is too random in its replies because i dont know the proper astronomic jargon to ask the question specifically.
 
thats whats so weird. galaxies only spin because they are viewed with relation to something else. no matter what, every galaxy can appear to spin one way or the other based on the way you look at it... normally if you say something is spinning, you base that in relation to the earth. cant do that in space.
 
Dominato3r said:
I've tried Google but haven't had any success so I'm hoping somebody here could answer this 🙂
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Yes, they all spin north of north.

A recent survey indicated that a slightly larger percentage of galaxies spin anti-clockwise (relative to us) then clockwise.
 
Is the galaxy rotation related to the direction of spin of the black hole at the center?

Dark matter affects the rotation in that objects move at constant speed regardless of radius from galaxy center. But is the rotation direction related to any effect by the dark matter?

When two galaxies merge, does spin direction matter (eg, merge rotating in opposite directions)?
 
Evadman said:
Tell him that all galaxies are spinning the same direction. If the galaxy appears to be spinning the wrong direction, it's because he is looking at the galaxy from the bottom instead of the top.
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That was my thought too. What is "up"?
 
This is terrible for an HT forum.

Anyone should know that galaxies circulate CW in the northern hemisphere of the universe and CCW in the southern hemi.
==================
ref: When toilets flush in the northern hemisphere, the water circulates clockwise in the bowl while toilets in the southern hemisphere circulate counter-clockwise due to Coriolis Effect caused by the rotation of the universe. ( http://www.rotorooter.com/our-services/residential/toilets/ )
 
I read a paper recently which suggested that the universe has some angular momentum and is not isotropic and homogeneous. The scientists did a survey of the sky and measured the direction each galaxy they observed spun, and found a very distinct bias that was highly indicative of an overall angular momentum for the universe.
 
silverpig said:
I read a paper recently which suggested that the universe has some angular momentum and is not isotropic and homogeneous. The scientists did a survey of the sky and measured the direction each galaxy they observed spun, and found a very distinct bias that was highly indicative of an overall angular momentum for the universe.
Click to expand...

That is extremely interesting. Do you know what the paper is called or where to find it?
 
Well since there is no "this side up" label on the universe, it would all depend on the orientation of the galaxy in relation to where you are, i.e. your perspective.
 
I use Anandtech for my computer needs. Stumbled into this forum. Found this topic of interest. But... One day everything is up than next day it's down. What's the point. I'm sure you all have heard of Quantum Theory, String Theory & Parallel Universes.

That said I was puzzled by one topic replay.

>>Hmm. Well I was on another site where a debate was taking place on intelligent design and it derailed. One guys said that If everything came from one mass, every galaxy should should be spinning the same direction because of angular momentum.

Sounded kinda fishy. Thanks<<

What is fishy to day is fact tomorrow.
Bob

PS Even Einstein was uncertain of himself.
 
Dominato3r Asked a question that might have been a concern for him for some time, spin direction of a galaxy. Great question. No one seems to come up with a logical response. Close but no cigar.

I have must of my life had a similar question that seems impossible to prove.

If your traveling forward at 100 miles per hour, no matter, do you have to stop before you can travel in an absolute reserve direction.

Three things:
1. The line is absolute
2. The speed of travel would not be constant since there is a direction change
2. Time is infinite.
Bob
 
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If the universe were round or warped in certain areas, or everywhere in fact, then some galaxies would spin CW and some CCW regardless of your own personal perspective on the universe. I was directed into this forum because i wanted to know what spins faster; CW or CCW? Is a CW vortex a black hole and a CCW vortex a white hole, or visa versa? What attracts particles and what repels particles? Cos that might give us an idea of which spin is faster or slower or which spin sucks or propels? And i was wondering if any of this thinking might have any relevance whatsoever to time travel? If you were sucked up by a CW votex, you would enter it slowly and it would gradually gain momentum and if you were spat out of that vortex in the same location you entered it, you would come out of it faster and it it would be out of a CCW vortex. So in this instance CW is slower than CCW, depending where in the universe you are ofcourse.
 
indeed, it all depends on perspective - the spin direction is different from the "top or bottom". a deeper question that bothers me though is:

1) is the spin of planetary revolution around a star in the same direction of the galaxies they inhabit?

2) also, is the distribution of planets' rotations in a solar system related to the planetary/galactic orbital direction?

3) should i post these questions as new threads>
 
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