The Milky Way (our galaxy) and Andromeda (next nearest galaxy) are due to collide. Which will fare better?

Question

Andromeda:

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/StarChild/universe_level2/andromeda_big.gif

We are on a collison course.

I imagine the Milky Way will come off the better of the two as it is more massy, and we will shread through Andromeda perhaps leaving in our wake something like the Tadpole galaxy:

http://imgsrc.hubblesite.org/hu/db/2002/11/images/e/formats/web.jpg

I am interested in your thoughts.

Also: how common are galaxy collisions?

Thanks for the contributions so far everyone.

Sorry for my erroneous statement that Andromeda is less massy.

Now, a lot of people are stating that the Galaxies would safely pass by each other because the stars are widely seperated. This is true for our location in the Milky Way on an outer spiral arm, but when you travel into any galactic core stars are much more compact and collsions would be inevitible. I think the 'collision' will be fairy spectacular, and I'm favouring the 'merger' idea at the moment.

Thanks for the contributions so far everyone.

Sorry for my erroneous statement that Andromeda is less massy.

Now, a lot of people are stating that the Galaxies would safely pass by each other because the stars are widely seperated. This is true for our location in the Milky Way on an outer spiral arm, but when you travel into any galactic core stars are much more compact and collsions would be inevitible. I think the 'collision' will be fairy spectacular, and I'm favouring the 'merger' idea at the moment.

Answer 1

We've seen a number of galaxies in collisions; eventually, (if gravity prevails) *all* galaxies will become one super-galaxy. By then, of course, most stars will have lived and died, and the hydrogen to make new stars will be about depleted - turned into other elements...

Of the Milkyway / Andromeda collision due in a few billion years, neither will do 'better' than the other - we'll simply merge. Andromeda is 1.3 to 1.5 times the mass of our galaxy, so, essentially, after all is said & done, the new galaxy will be more than twice the mass of the Milkyway.

Galactic collisions are kind of like clouds hitting - the stars, generally, are too far apart for their to be a real collision - but some stars & planets probably do get whacked in the process.

Answer 2

Galactic collisions, though far from rare, aren't something we witness every day, either.
The Andromeda Galaxy and our own Milky Way are on a collision course, but it won't happen for a very, VERY long time.
By the way, Andromeda is larger than the Milky Way, and when the two collide, it won't be an actual collision as we think of them. The distances between stars is so great that the probability of a head- on collision is actually pretty low.
They will most likely pass through each other, and the gravitational perturbances the two galaxies will force on each other will set off a huge display of celestial fireworks, with all sorts of new star formation happening in the turbulent wake of the collision.

Answer 3

I believe due to the fact stars are such vast distances apart that both Galaxy's would pass safely through each other. This event would take millions of years anyway so don't fret. Galaxy's do 'collide' pretty often and indeed I suppose there is a fair chance that since the creation the Milky Way may well have survived collisions before.

Answer 4

Andromeda contains considerably more mass than the Milky Way. If its true that they will collide where are we going to go. We are inside the Milky Way. Cosmologist may have to start to implement an Emergency evacuation Plan.
May be Galaxies on the overall have changed their mind about expanding in the Universe ,and have now found an attraction towards each other.So instead of divorce we now have Galactical marriage.

Answer 5

Nearest Galaxy To Our Galaxy

Answer 6

Just a quick note -- Andromeda is NOT the galaxy closest to our galaxy.

The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are dwarf galaxies which are 2 million or so light years closer to the Milky Way Galaxy than is the Andromeda Galaxy.

Answer 7

andromeda will retain its shape longer than the milky way longer but both will be unrecognizable after 40% of the collision has occured, however that is speculation as we are still not quite sure about the actual size and mass of our galaxy. also galaxy collisions theorheticly happen every day but we cant observe the entire universe. but there has been a few in out lifetime.

Answer 8

Well, Andromeda has more mass, so I guess it will far better, but neither will fair to well, at least not for any life within either system.
Even though Andromeda is racing towards our galaxy
at 310,000 mph, it still won't reach the Milky Way for another
2 billion years. Not to worry you'll still be able to enjoy your retirement.

Answer 9

There is evidence that the two galaxies will simply pass through each other. Remember that the distance between stars is huge. Our own galaxy has some 200 billion stars and yet the closest one to our sun is 24 trillion miles away.

Answer 10

Well, first off, galaxies are mostly empty space. When they "collide", almost NOTHING will touch each other and actually "collide". It will just look that way from a 3rd person point of view. The gravities of both galaxies and everything in them is what will throw everything all over the place in a "collision".