ScienceCasts: Andromeda vs. the Milky Way: Astronomers Predict a Titanic Collision

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Astronomers no longer have any doubt: Our Milky Way Galaxy will have a head-on collision with Andromeda. Fortunately, they say, Earth will survive when the two great star systems meet 4 billions years from now.

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  Science & Technology

[12ZELDALINK]

By the time the Sun starts expanding, we'll probably have the technology to MOVE the Earth out of the way .-.

[tregibbs]

I want to be frozen for about 3.5 billion years - so that I can look up at the night sky and see a HUGE appearing M31 up above. AMAZING !

[libraryquiet]

Your first point makes no sense at all unless your talking about the remnants, a white dwarf, black hole or neutron star. The explosion would last about a millionth of a second, we would see the expansion and energy released from that explosion. The brightness of a nova dies out quickly no matter what size the star. Betelgeuse is red because it's running out of nuclear fuel to cause fusion. It starts blowing out it's outer shell of gas and becomes a red giant. I don't pretend to know., I know.

[4stral1]

1.the explosion isnt same strenght 2 all directions,the possible gamma damage depends 4 example of its galactic circulation.

2.the explosion wld not last weeks but several months.

3.we never said its in our solarsystem,it is in our galaxy.

4.since u pretend to know anything tell me: Why is betelgeuse red???????

Stop seek library!. since you know so much so just tell me straight? so i can correct your wannabe knowledge.i studied the constellation before you got ur 1st pyjama.

5.U Fool.

LOL

.

[libraryquiet]

You and squidb8 need to get educated. Betelgeuse is thousands of times larger than our sun and it's not in our solar system, you fool, it's 640 light years away. It could have blown up already but the light hasn't reached us yet, it could be tomorrow or 100 years from now. The light of the nova would be visible for weeks not 200 days. The explosion spreads in all directions. Stars do not collapse into quasars, are you guys for real?! We can't observe the galactic center because of the dust lanes

[Claudem Richer]

How can this be possible ? Since all the galaxies are suppose to be moving away from each other.

[Krypton1821]

i wanna see this happen :< REINCARNATION PLEASE!!! :))

[4stral1]

im sure we are..I base my theory/guess to the nighsky and how we see the milkyway core. The core can be seen so wide and huge and outwards of the core the galactic glow is much much less, which mean we are quite in the edge of our own galaxy...if we would be in the middle of our galaxy the core would look same than in south in northern hemisphere.

[squidb8]

It is predicted the Betelgeuse will Supernova within the next 100 years. If we were within 10 light years away that would be a problem, but since we are over 1300 ly away the chances of a direct blast is less than probable.

Of course there's a chance it may collapse into a quasar, so that would be a concern but I don't think it's in that mass range.

[4stral1]

betelgeuse future life is estimated at maximum 20.000 years from now. WHEN... it xplodes itl show at least 200 days ultrabright light at sky even in daytime, but if its xplosion burst will be facing towards earth..i think it mite be gameover for life in earth. Betelgeuse is Big/Gigantic star...somethin like 20x larger than sun which is our solarsystem biggest star. i thought i read it somewhere of the possible damage if its towards earth..dnt remeber anymore, bt ive studied orion constellation;)

[squidb8]

Betelgeuse is far enough away that we will only get a snazzy light show and less sleep; it will be like having two sons. However our population would have imploded long before this event takes place.