According to NASA astronomers' prediction, Milky Way is going to collide with Andromeda galaxy. This collision is destined to take place four billion years from now.
Astronomers working with the Hubble Space Telescope have revealed their research this Thursday in a NASA news conference. But there is nothing to worry about as Earth and the Solar System will survive.
"Our findings are statistically consistent with a head-on collision between the Andromeda galaxy and our Milky Way galaxy," said Roelandvan der Marel of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI).
According to their research, Milky Way is about to get a major makeover in that encounter. Astronomers did theorize a clash between these galaxy titans long ago but were not sure when this collision might take place. But after years of research and observation, NASA is certain when the collision is destined to happen.
Andromeda galaxy is going to collide with the Milky Way and merge with it. But this merging process is going to take another two billion years. As the stars inside each galaxy are far from each other, there is a very less chance of collision. Right now, the galaxy, officially known as Messier 31 or M31 is 2.5 million light-years away. "After nearly a century of speculation about the future destiny of Andromeda and our Milky Way, we at last have a clear picture of how events will unfold over the coming billions of years," said Sangmo Tony Sohn of STScI.
The vast emptiness of the two galaxies is what going to save Earth and the Sun from getting hit by planets or stars from Andromeda. But there is a chance that the solar system would get a different place after the collision. This change can greatly change the nighttime sky view of Earth. Andromedia is coming toward Earth at 250,000mph and this speed is going to increase up to five times after getting into one another's spiral arms.
"In the worst-case-scenario simulation, M31 slams into the Milky Way head-on and the stars are all scattered into different orbits," said Gurtina Besla of New York-based Columbia University.
Once the merging process is complete, it will be known as an elliptical galaxy. Van der Marel said there is no official name yet but some researchers are calling this galactic mash up "Milkomeda."
