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posted by CoolHand on Monday May 11 2015, @11:38AM   Printer-friendly
from the mmmmm-milky-way dept.

This article shows that the future merging of the Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies may be sooner than previously thought:

Recent analysis of past observations made by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope have found a massive halo of hot, heavy gas surrounding our neighboring galaxy, Andromeda. This expansive mass of material around Andromeda could mean that it will begin merging with the Milky Way ahead of schedule.

In fact, the articles goes on to say the merge may have already begun if the Milky Way contains a similarly sized halo.

 
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  • (Score: 2) by jbWolf on Tuesday May 12 2015, @03:31AM

    by jbWolf (2774) <jbNO@SPAMjb-wolf.com> on Tuesday May 12 2015, @03:31AM (#181780) Homepage

    Collision Alert! Collision Alert!! All hands brace for impact!!!

    [Drumming fingers.]

    Good grief, man. How long am I going to have to brace? I have binge watching I need to go do.

    --
    www.jb-wolf.com [jb-wolf.com]
    Starting Score:    1  point
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  • (Score: 2) by aristarchus on Tuesday May 12 2015, @05:43AM

    by aristarchus (2645) on Tuesday May 12 2015, @05:43AM (#181803) Journal

    Turns out, galactic impacts are a little deficient on the "impact" side of things. Mostly galaxies go right through each other, like ships passing in the night, and nothing actually runs into anything. But there can be some interesting gravitational interactions! I mean, it is Andromeda, so at least we can say, "We are the Krakon!" or something like that.