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Credit & Copyright: NASA,
ESA;
Visualization:
Frank Summers
(STScI);
Simulation:
Chris Mihos
(CWRU) &
Lars Hernquist
(Harvard).
Explanation:
What happens when two galaxies collide?
Although it may take over a billion years, such
titanic clashes are quite common.
Since galaxies are mostly empty space, no internal stars are likely to themselves
collide.
Rather the gravitation of each galaxy will
distort or destroy the other galaxy,
and the galaxies may eventually
merge
to form a single larger galaxy.
Expansive das and dust clouds collide and trigger waves of star formation that complete
even during the interaction process.
Pictured above is a
computer simulation of two
large spiral galaxies colliding, interspersed
with
real
still
images
taken
by the
Hubble Space Telescope.
Our own Milky Way Galaxy
has absorbed several smaller galaxies during its existence
and is even
projected to merge with the larger neighboring
Andromeda galaxy in a few billion years.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: colliding galaxies
Publications with words: colliding galaxies
See also: