Galaxies

[mvisvitae]

I have seen pictures of two galaxies circling around each other...does any one know if the large black hole located at the center of almost every galaxy is the navigational device for that galaxy?

 

[Saiph]

well, I'm not sure how it would be such a device, and I see no reason to draw that conclusion.<br /><br />Galaxies can easily orbit eachother just as stars do, due to mutual gravitational attractions. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#c0c0c0"><br /></font></p><p align="center"><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">----</font></em></font><font color="#666699">SaiphMOD@gmail.com </font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">-------------------</font></em></font></p><p><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">"This is my Timey Wimey Detector.  Goes "bing" when there's stuff.  It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually.  I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- </font></em></font><font size="1" color="#999999">The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[tfwthom]

Something like the "Mice"<br /><br />http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020506.html <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[newtonian]

mvisvitae - Hi!<br /><br />Well, navigation through the IGM (intergalactic medium) certainly involves gravity which certainly involves mass which certainly includes supermassive black holes.<br /><br />However, the motion of Milky Way, for example, along with thousands of other galaxies on a sort of river in space heading towards the Great Attractor(s) also involves mass at a center of gravity at the Great Attractor, along with pertubation by various galaxies' masses in navigation on this 'river.'<br /><br />Will Milky Way end up circling around Andromeda? Current models indicate a merger rather than orbit - and certainly the supermassive black holes at the center of both galaxies are involved in the mass calculations involving speed and trajectory to determine precise computer modeling for all galactic interactions, including the upcoming Milky-Way Anderomeda merger and also whatever two galaxies you are referring to.

 

[qso1]

How certain are we that they are actually orbiting one another instead of just passing. Keeping in mind to complete one orbit at galactic distances would probably take over a billion years. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[newtonian]

qso1 - Who are they?<br /><br />With Milky Way and Andromeda, apparently neither will happen: neither orbit nor just passing by but rather: merger.<br /><br />It has to do with mass, relative speed, relative trajectory.

 

[qso1]

They...would be the astronomers.<br /><br />With Milky Way and Andromeda, yes, a merger, and merger being the more accurate term IMO than collision. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[Saiph]

well, you look at the mass of the objects, and the velocity and I've never heard of a galaxy moving at the escape speed for a nearby neighbor.<br /><br />There are galaxy clusters as well.<br /><br />So usually, they're orbiting/merging. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#c0c0c0"><br /></font></p><p align="center"><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">----</font></em></font><font color="#666699">SaiphMOD@gmail.com </font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">-------------------</font></em></font></p><p><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">"This is my Timey Wimey Detector.  Goes "bing" when there's stuff.  It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually.  I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- </font></em></font><font size="1" color="#999999">The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[mvisvitae]

I admire your intellect Newtonian thanks for answering my question

 

[newtonian]

mvisvitae - Thank you for thanking me. I try. <br /><br />As you can see, there is still much for all to learn.<br /><br />Astronomy is a very exciting science right now and new data keeps pouring in!

 

[mansker52]

The news for today about (The Milky Way Companions)<br />States that they are moving to fast. Most likely not true.<br />If the galaxies are movie in different directions they would only appear to be moving faster. Our galaxie rotates just like the Earth and it most likely has an orbit too. So other galaxies that may be in the same orbit or in a different orbit. Which would make them appear to be moving farther away and or faster.

 

[schmack]

heres a link to the article - <br /><br />http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070918_st_magell_clouds.html<br /><br />interesting stuff. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="4" color="#ff0000"><font size="2">Assumption is the mother of all stuff ups</font> </font></p><p><font size="4" color="#ff0000">Gimme some Schmack Schmack!</font></p> </div>

 

[mansker52]

Yes I read it. But I don't know if they take under consideration that the galaxies rotate & may even roll as it rotates. When you have rotation in one galaxie a neighboring galaxie may seem to be moving away when in fact it would be moveing toward that galaxie.