The Milky Way galaxy clashing into the Andromeda galaxy?

[neutron_star6]

Write what you think. Course I have read and seen that this might happen but am curious to what others think.

 

[neutron_star6]

Yes i do know it will be an extremely long time from now and most likely everthing will change. But, if the two clash into each other, wouldnt the stars and planets of its galaxy bump, smash and destroy stars and planets of our galaxy. That would make more sense than just our solar system being messed up.

 

[vgeric]

I had read somewhere that when two galaxies colide, hardly (if any) stars touch each other. I would love to be around when it comes real close to us.... think of the view! <br /><br />BTW... Will the sun expand before or after the crash with Andromeda?<br /><br />VGEric

 

[neutron_star6]

It would be an awesome view. The clash of two galaxies and the outcome. I too would love to see it if I were able to live that long. And as for your second question it would happen I believe afterwards.

 

[neutron_star6]

So, you wouldnt be able to see anything but some thing that looks like a cloud that gets bigger and bigger? Still if you looked at it through a telescope you should be able to see at least the spiral arms wouldnt you?

 

[petepan]

Definately, as the distance between as shortens the resolution will increase. I spose the other factor to consider (consider, hmm?) is what angle Andromeda approaches at. This would alter the view a bit.

 

[neutron_star6]

Ok so I think I understand. So the closer the Andromeda galaxy gets to us you would be able to see it eventually with just your eyes but still not in good detail. Right?

 

[neutron_star6]

Cool. That was pretty easy. Oh by the way I have another question about galaxies. Ok I read a book a while ago saying that there were in a sense dormant black holes in the center of each galaxy. When I asked someone I knew about it she said that no there wasnt. I dont remember exactly what she said but I do remember that she said there wasnt.

 

[neutron_star6]

So, there are black holes in the core. But no matter what they are always active and just sucking in less matter. But the more matter it gains the more and more active it becomes. And thanks stevehw for the idea you recomended.

 

[thalion]

I don't think that it would be *totally* unspectacular. I think there could be a happy intermediate distance where its angular size and apparent brightness combined to make it a truly stunning object. When it was *very* close, then it would start looking like just another part of the Milky Way. <br /><br />The collision itself, though taking millions of years, would undeniably be spectacular, especially if it happened near our part of the Galactic disk. Imagine H II regions that would put the Orion Nebula to shame all across the sky, and supernova rates at least tens of times higher than today, to say nothing of the abundance of bright, massive stars. It wouldn't be a very safe environment for an inhabited planet, but it would be a sight to behold, I think.

 

[neutron_star6]

Indeed it would be if everything you said happened. Either way, If it just looks like a cloud or whether it looks really spectacular I would love to be around when it happens.

 

[Saiph]

unfortunately, those probably don't have very high metal contents, and so it would be harder for life to arise due to lack of material. <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>

 

[jcdenton]

Here's how a collision of galaxies will look...<br /><br /><i>In NGC 1275, one galaxy is slicing through another. The disk of the dusty spiral galaxy near the image center is cutting through a large elliptical galaxy, visible predominantly on the lower left. Galaxies can change significantly during a collision like this, with gravitational tides distorting each galaxy and gas clouds being compressed and lighting up with new star formation. Galaxy collisions occur in slow motion to the human eye, with a single pass taking as much as 100 million years. NGC 1275 is a member of the Perseus cluster of galaxies that lies about 230 million light years away toward the constellation of Perseus. Each galaxy spans about 50,000 light years across. The above picture is a composite of images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995 and 2001.</i> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[neutron_star6]

I think thats an awesome picture of the two galaxies colliding. Wow.

 

[neutron_star6]

Very interesting.