Our galaxy will collide with another one in 4 billion years time, says NASA. Wha

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   Anjiliposted 13 years ago

   Our galaxy will collide with another one in 4 billion years time, says NASA. What do you think?

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   melporposted 13 years ago

   Scientists have known about this for some time now. It is nothing new. Our galaxy will collide with Andromeda, the nearest one to us, and other galaxies in our neighborhood of galaxies in the distant future.  All these galaxies are drawn toward each other due to gravitational forces and will eventually form one elongated  galaxy.

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      Anjiliposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      And yet we can do nothing about it but sit and wait like ducks. Are we really able to control anything?

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   syzygyastroposted 13 years ago

   There is a dwarf galaxy on the opposite side of our galaxy from our point of view that is almost about to collide or has already intersected the galactic plane. It is hidden from our view by the center of our own galaxy, but it has been observed in other wavelengths so astronomers know that it is there. It is known as the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy and some of it has already spread out. There are hints of other collisions with rings around our galaxy at odd angles.
   
   http://iopscience.iop.org/1538-4357/500 … .text.html

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      melporposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      These are much smaller galaxies and they have already been rifted apart by our much larger galaxies. These dwarf galaxies are too small to be of any concern to us.

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   scottcgruberposted 13 years ago

   I'm working on a Hub on this very topic, in fact. It's a pretty fascinating finding, and I salute the astronauts who participated in the last Hubble servicing mission who made it possible.
   
   As melpor said, it's nothing new. Astronomers have known for years that our galaxy and Andromeda were moving closer to each other. There was always a bit of mystery about the sideways motion of Andromeda, however - it was uncertain whether it would be a direct hit or glancing blow or near miss.
   
   A good analogy would be a batter in a baseball game seeing a pitch coming his way. He knows it's headed in his direction and approximately how fast, but can't tell if it's going to be in the strike zone or will curve out of it. The new measurements from Hubble have given astronomers a much better understanding of that sideways motion, showing that it is likely going to be a direct hit.
   
   When it happens, the night sky as viewed from out planet will be amazing. Too bad there will be nothing alive on Earth to see it.

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      Anjiliposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      It seems like evidence to a terminal conclusion to life on earth. Too sad we won't be around to witness the spectacular phenomenon. Good for mortals huh

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   darrensurreyposted 13 years ago

   Time to check my home insurance policy. )

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