Comments on: Four Galaxies Are Currently Colliding

By: Frank DiSalle

Frank DiSalle — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:59:11 +0000

I think the President should appoint a “Colliding Galaxies Czar” to address this issue.

By: Zython

Zython — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 09:57:46 +0000

If, in fact, there is life on other planets, then the sound I just heard is “as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced”

Actually, they probably wouldn’t notice.

By: Duros62

Duros62 — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:28:12 +0000

Actually, if there are sentient beings living in those galaxies…

Hey, when did we get another moon? Has that always been there?

By: Southern Quaker

Southern Quaker — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:10:29 +0000

buma,

Distance and velocity measurements, basically. The distance to each galaxy can be obtained through supernova measurements, indicating that they are quite close to one another. Velocity measurements indicate that they are moving around a common center, towards one another.

By: Quaker in a Basement

Quaker in a Basement — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:04:50 +0000

So which galaxy’s management will have control after the merger?

By: buma

buma — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:00:23 +0000

OK, how do the experts know the galaxies are not merely aligned with each other when veiwed from our vantage point? The one on the left looks a little closer than the one in the middle.

By: Duros62

Duros62 — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:44:33 +0000

Awesome premise for a sci fi setting though…a collision between different alien empires?

Our solar system goes from 9 planets to 27?

By: Duros62

Duros62 — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:42:41 +0000

The bright spiral galaxy at the center of the image is punching through the cluster at almost two million miles per hour.

LOOK OUT!!!!

*tires squeeling*

By: Duros62

Duros62 — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:34:51 +0000

Actually, if there are sentient beings living in those galaxies…

…they most likely won’t even notice.

By: pablo

pablo — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:40:46 +0000

If, in fact, there is life on other planets, then the sound I just heard is “as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced”

By: Rheinhard

Rheinhard — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:57:26 +0000

@DaveH – actually any sentient beings in those galaxies are very lucky. We think of galaxies as solid objects, like giant pinwheels, but they’re collections of discrete particles. The particles just happen to be stars. The probability of stars or planetary systems colliding is astronomically low. But any beings on planets in those galaxies would look up to see an amazing and awesome night sky display! I am sad that I won’t be around in a few million years when the Andromeda galaxy will be looming large across our night sky!

By: James E. Powell

James E. Powell — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:45:26 +0000

Currently? Based on the estimated distance, whatever we are seeing happened 200-300 million years ago.

By: jrfunkenstein

jrfunkenstein — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:25:21 +0000

‘Is Starfleet on this?’

Starfleet! Hah! You talk and you talk but you have no gramba!

By: justadood

justadood — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:24:23 +0000

@mike in dc…kinds sorta already done…cheeck out E.E. Smith’s ‘Lensman’ series….classic SciFi Spqce Opera…

By: Zython

Zython — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:02:44 +0000

Galaxies collide all the time. While four at the same time is interesting, stuff like this is fairly common.

By: mike in dc

mike in dc — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:42:26 +0000

Awesome premise for a sci fi setting though…a collision between different alien empires?

By: Southern Quaker

Southern Quaker — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:02:43 +0000

It would be quite a fireworks show. Stars don’t collide – big clouds of gas and dust do, but not stars or planets. Not to mention the fact that the “collision” will take millions of years.

So it’s likely Buzz, Yoda, and ET will be fine.

By: DaveH

DaveH — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:52:41 +0000

Oh, the Alienity!

Actually, if their are sentient beings living in those galaxies…