WE'RE DOOMED! MILKY WAY & ANDROMEDA to collide in only 4 billion years!

[jeffbert]

Here is the link to the GIZMAG article:

Hubble data predicts Milky Way galactic collision

Game over, man; game over!

Be sure to watch the simulated collision!

[Astro Forever]

I think we are safe, jeffbert, those seem far enough from the earth. I wouldn't worry just yet.

More seriously, I had no idea galaxies could collide! hmy:

[diehard67]

oh yah they can but there is so much space between the start that 2 galaxies can pass threw each other and nothing may happen.

[Gemstone2474]

Our doom is imminent, but I don't think any of us will be around to see it. UNLESS ALIANS ATTACK!!!!

[avatargirl]

HI- HUGS YOU SAID WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY DIEHARD- HOW DARE YOU SAY IT FIRST! THANKS HUGS GIGGLES

THERE IS SO MUCH SPACE IN INTERSTELLAR/INTERGALACTIC SPACE THAT IT COULD BE POSSIBLE FOR INTERACTION TO BE HARMLESS FOR A TIME!

[jeffbert]

Did any of you watch the simulation?

[Astro Forever]

Yes, I did!

[jeffbert]

AF: cool, wasn't it?

Despite the vast distances between the objects in the galaxies, there are so many that collisions are bound to occur; besides that, their gravitational fields will definitely affect one another.

[diehard67]

true but I dought it will be as dramatic as that 3d animation.

it was cool to watch just the same.

[Alittleacorn]

I think we are safe, jeffbert, those seem far enough from the earth. I wouldn't worry just yet. More seriously, I had no idea galaxies could collide! hmy:

They do, many things do in space from to suns, to blackholes (there was even an event documented where a blackhole swallowed an entire sun). Things are constantly moving and with so many galaxies there's always a chance one will hit the other. The distances inside a galaxy however is so vast that our solar system may be lucky enough to survive, then again there's all the likely chance Earth could be thrown out during the collision or be destoyed.

But then you have to remember our sun will turn into a Red Giant 2 billion years after that as well, although frankly we have more worse dangers from asteroids or blowing ourselves up nowadays than what will happen billions of years in the future. If the human race still exists by that point, hope to Pluto their technology's evolved enough to hop galaxies, that or they've finally built a bubble around Earth and strapped a giant rocket on the back of it so they can cruise right out of there at so many million light years an hour.

And this is really, really old news by the way. I think it was mentioned last year......