What Happens When Galaxies Collide?

Dr. Varoujan Gorjian takes us inside galactic collisions in this "Ask an Astronomer" video.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• astronomy
• science
• galaxy
• galaxies
• collision
• animation
• education

[entoris476]

i have a question

if theres a black hole in every galaxy..

when galaxys collide..wont the black holes collide?

any if they do what happens?

[SpitzerJim]

The black holes wouldn't necessarily collide, but if they did, they'd most likely merge into a larger black hole. A leading theory of gamma ray bursters says that they might be the result of colliding black holes.

[eljpayne]

So if our galaxy did colide will earth be wiped out because of the different gravity?

[SpitzerJim]

There's really no danger at all to Earth from a galaxy collision.  There's just too much space between stars for any of the stars to be likely to come close enough to disturb our Solar System.

[tommybrett]

i heard from the internet that we and andromeda are about the same size now

[SpitzerJim]

Yep. The Milky Way is actually a bit bigger. That discovery was announced at the American Astronomical Society meeting earlier this month. It's exciting how we're always learning new things in astronomy!

[RexNunc]

3 billion years?

Better start packing

[GuruGulu]

I hope there's a theory where we survive!

[paggi93]

awesome vid.but still many questions arrive.

[paggi93]

but still they say even light can't escape in the black hole then many stars release so many radiations like light so won't they suckup those stars?

[paggi93]

funny!!!

[ArataMusic1]

There is.

Both the Milky Way and Andromeda have halos around them, which is stars that are not inside of the both galaxies, meaning that any life forms in them would see the andromeda or milky way in the sky.

[shelly2shoe]

good question

[eukaree143]

i wonder if there is a star that is not in a galaxy....

[killertboy16]

i heared it was 70 billion years?