"Astronomers Spot Ancient Spiral Galaxy with Unprecedented Pond-Like Ripples"

Astronomers using the ALMA telescope have observed unique pond-like ripples in the gaseous disk of BRI 1335-0417, the oldest known spiral galaxy, over 12 billion years old. These ripples suggest recent disturbances, possibly from interactions with another galaxy or a massive gas cloud, which could explain the galaxy's rapid star formation rate. Additionally, a central bar was detected, which is significant as it challenges previous theories on bar formation in galaxies, indicating that bars can form early in the universe through a star-forming gaseous bar rather than from a pre-existing stellar disk. This discovery, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, provides new insights into galaxy formation and evolution.