According to the researchers, the existence of the structure may require explanations beyond standard cosmology, including conformal cyclic cosmology proposed by Roger Penrose or even cosmic strings. According to the first hypothesis, the universe goes through infinite cycles in which the infinite expansion of space generates a new Big Bang. In the second case, cosmic strings represent filamentary topological defects in spacetime that could play a key role in the emergence of large-scale structures.
According to the current understanding of cosmologists, the current theoretical limit on the size of large-scale structures is 1.2 billion light-years. Thus, the Great Celestial Ring, as well as another structure, the Giant Arc, which looks like a sickle of galaxies that is three times larger than the limit. It is at the same distance as the Great Celestial Ring and in the same region of the sky. The angular distance between both structures is 12 degrees.
