Astounding deep-sea 'galaxy' filmed off Californian coast

Astounding deep-sea 'galaxy' filmed off Californian coast

This galaxy siphonophore is a stunning colonial organism that glows as red as burning embers.

Published: June 23, 2025 at 11:00 am

Researchers at Schmidt Ocean Institute have shared mesmerising footage of a deep-sea 'galaxy' captured by their remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Subastian.

The video shows a creature drift into view, glowing a vivid red. It dances gently across the blackness of the ocean like burning tinsel in a light breeze. 

This is a galaxy siphonophore. It might look like an alien creature but this living firework is made up of several organisms that work together to function and survive. 

“Although a siphonophore may appear to be an individual organism, each specimen is in fact a colonial organism,” says Schmidt Ocean Institute on Instagram.

The galaxy siphonophore was filmed on a dive down to Patton Escarpment, Southern California – after 5 minutes 30 seconds of slow drifting, the underwater vehicle spots the creature. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute

Image and video credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute

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