The spiral structure of the milky way can be explained by long lived quasi-static density waves, according to the lin-shu hypothesis. Curiously, the waves of higher density gas and stars (seen as spiral arms) appear to remain static as stars move around the galaxy. This explained by assuming that the gravitational disturbances cause by the 'clumping' material in the arms does not affect the gravitational field of the galaxy as whole and is therefore negligible.
source: Astrophysicist
