  A galaxy's orientation is one of its most basic observable properties.
Astronomers once assumed that galaxies are randomly oriented in space, however
it is now clear that some have preferred orientations with respect to their
surroundings. Chief among these are giant elliptical galaxies found in the
centers of rich galaxy clusters. Numerous studies have shown that the major
axes of these galaxies often share the same orientation as the surrounding
matter distribution on larger scales. Using Hubble Space Telescope observations
of 65 distant galaxy clusters, we show for the first time that similar
alignments are seen at earlier epochs when the universe was only one-third its
current age. These results suggest that the brightest galaxies in clusters are
the product of a special formation history, one influenced by development of
the cosmic web over billions of years.
