Astronomy: Galaxy Mergers

Astronomy: Galaxy Mergers
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Galaxies & Deep Sky
Galaxy Mergers Interacting galaxies, also known as colliding galaxies, are two or more galaxies whose gravitational fields result in a disturbance of one another. There are several types of galactic interactions, including major interactions, minor interactions, and galaxy harassment.

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Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Galaxy Mergers Interacting galaxies, also known as colliding galaxies, are two or more galaxies whose gravitational fields result in a disturbance of one another. There are several types of galactic interactions, including major interactions, minor interactions, and galaxy harassment. Major interactions occur between galaxies with similar amounts of mass, whereas minor interactions involve galaxies with masses that vary significantly.

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Why Galaxy Mergers matters: Galaxies are the fundamental building blocks of the visible universe. Studying them reveals how matter organized itself after the Big Bang and continues to evolve billions of years later. An example of a minor interaction is a satellite galaxy disturbing the primary galaxy's spiral arms. An example of a major interaction is a galactic collision, such as the one that astronomers estimate will happen in the future between the Milky Way and Andromeda. Collisions may lead to galaxy mergers and may also lead to other phenomena such as star formation and black hole activity.

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Deep dive: Galaxy Mergers An example of a major interaction is a galactic col lision, such as the one that astronomers estimate will happen in the future between the Milky Way and Andromeda. Collisions may lead to galaxy mergers and may also lead to other phenomena such as star formation and black hole activity. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interacting_galaxy (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)