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Lundmark's Nebula*
I have discovered an article concerning the future collision of the Milky Way galaxy and Andromeda. Article here.
May 31, 2012: NASA astronomers say they can now predict with certainty the next major cosmic event to affect our galaxy, sun, and solar system: the titanic collision of our Milky Way galaxy with the neighboring Andromeda galaxy.
The Milky Way is destined to get a major makeover during the encounter, which is predicted to happen four billion years from now. It is likely the sun will be flung into a new region of our galaxy, but our Earth and solar system are in no danger of being destroyed.
"After nearly a century of speculation about the future destiny of Andromeda and our Milky Way, we at last have a clear picture of how events will unfold over the coming billions of years," says Sangmo Tony Sohn of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore.
"Our findings are statistically consistent with a head-on collision between the Andromeda galaxy and our Milky Way galaxy," adds Roeland van der Marel of the STScI.
Click on the image, or this caption, to enlarge
So. What will you be doing in about four billion years' time?
* Lensman fans ought to derive some amusement from this title. I know I did.
May 31, 2012: NASA astronomers say they can now predict with certainty the next major cosmic event to affect our galaxy, sun, and solar system: the titanic collision of our Milky Way galaxy with the neighboring Andromeda galaxy.
The Milky Way is destined to get a major makeover during the encounter, which is predicted to happen four billion years from now. It is likely the sun will be flung into a new region of our galaxy, but our Earth and solar system are in no danger of being destroyed.
"After nearly a century of speculation about the future destiny of Andromeda and our Milky Way, we at last have a clear picture of how events will unfold over the coming billions of years," says Sangmo Tony Sohn of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore.
"Our findings are statistically consistent with a head-on collision between the Andromeda galaxy and our Milky Way galaxy," adds Roeland van der Marel of the STScI.
Click on the image, or this caption, to enlarge
So. What will you be doing in about four billion years' time?
* Lensman fans ought to derive some amusement from this title. I know I did.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_far_future
There won't be good viewing from Earth
see 3.5 billion years from now on the chart!