What would happen to our solar system if our galaxy collided with the Andromeda galaxy?

Question

Yeah, I know this event is supposed to happen in roughly 10 billion years and that our sun will have burnt out some 6 billion years prior to that. However, for the sake of argument, lets say that our solar system, sun and even human civilization were intact when this event were to happen. What would happen to our solar system, or indeed our planet? Would gravitational forces pull our solar system apart? Would our planet be captured by another sun, or our solar system grab additional planets? Would there be any collisions with other planets and or stars?

By all means, please feel free to engage in heavy physics if you feel the need.

Answer 1

Total destruction. No need for heavy physics. Even if the sun did not collide with another star, the tidal effects from near by stars would alter orbits and make the solar system unrecognizable.

Answer 2

When Andromeda collides with the Milky Way, in about 4 billion years, both galaxies will spread out and the shape of the galaxies will look sort of like mice. In fact, scientists call that "The Mice". After that happens, in a few billion years the two galaxies will form a mega galaxy. That galaxy might be so big, it's almost the size of IC1101, the largest known galaxy in the known universe.

Answer 3

Actually, this will happen in about 3 billion years. The galaxies for the most part will 'pass' through each other. Stars will rarely collide due to the large spaces between them, but the stars making up the two galaxies with be strewn all over the place from gravity. If there were humans around at that time (which I doubt), what happens depends on whether any stars (and planets) get flung our way, if so it's certain death.

Answer 4

The whole Andromeda galaxy is going to hit us 10 million years! Oh my god, that's terrible! Sorry, I read your question too fast. You said 10 *billion* years. Never mind.

Seriously, though, the collision is only 3 billion years away. Our sun will still be around, but it'll be on its last legs, and earth will be uninhabitably hot. If we're still hanging around old Sol then, we'll be in the asteroid belt at least. The collision will actually be a good thing for us because it'll trigger a massive wave of star formation, and many of the older stars from Andromeda will be swinging by our way - just about the time we'll need to be seriously looking for a new home.

Answer 5

Depends upon how close any massive objects came to our solar system. When galaxies collide they really don't collide, they just pass through each other. The gravitation effect of which can cause lesser gravitational systems to be ripped apart. I.E. A star from Andromeda could pass close to our sun and pull the Earth out of orbit of the sun. This would pretty much reduce life on earth to bacteria if even that.

Answer 6

when they 'collide',it means,that the galaxy pass through one another.imagine this,the stars in the andromeda galaxy pass through our solar system,the stars would collide with one another.even if our planet didn't collide with a star, the collision nearby would cause an explosion and our dear planet will be blown to bits.that's the end of the world.

Answer 7

Probably not a whole lot. there'a an awful lot of purely empty space in a galaxy, and so they'd mostly pass through each other, mingle, merge, and become a new, larger galaxy.

There are astrophotos of lots of colliding galaxies available. See if you can find a photo of NGC 4038/4039 or NGC 3314.

Answer 8

itd become a new galaxy

so get ready to get rid of all your stuff for new stuff

Answer 9

Not a lot.