Slashdot Mirror


Andromeda Devouring Neighbor Galaxy

Scientific Ninja writes "Astronomers in the University of Sydney have captured pictures of a 'union' between our closest neighboring galaxy, Andromeda, and its smaller neighbor, the Triangulum Galaxy. Published in the journal Nature on September 3rd, the research shows how large galaxies grow by incorporating stars from surrounding smaller galaxies. This popular model of galaxy evolution, called the 'hierarchical model,' predicts that large galaxies such as Andromeda, which can be seen with the naked eye from the northern hemisphere, should be surrounded by relics of smaller galaxies it has connected with."

8 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Random or planned? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The troll-fu is strong in this one..

  2. Hail! by lorg · · Score: 4, Funny

    I for one welcome our new carnivorous galaxy overlords ... or whatever that other puny galaxy is made out of.

    But perhaps it's just some twisted form of galactic Darwinism, the weak die (or get consumed or whatever) while the big and buff galaxies prospers.

    Alternativly perhaps space isn't even really endless at all but instead quite finite and Andromeda just needed some galactic lebensraum?

  3. Just a few questions by davidwr · · Score: 3, Funny

    1) is the takeover hostile or friendly
    2) if it happened in this galaxy would it be subject to regulatory approval, and if so, under whose jurisdiction?

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
  4. Gravity wave spectrum by PPH · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... looks remarkably similar to a belch sound.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  5. Re:Random or planned? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Idiot, he's in his mom's basement, not walking down the street.

  6. Re:Shrinkage by Citizen+of+Earth · · Score: 3, Funny

    the universe will just be a bunch of black holes slowly oozing out Hawking radiation. Very bleak.

    That's why I plant to commit suicide on my 99-trillionth birthday.

  7. xscreensaver knows how this will end by Jon+Abbott · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know from watching the xscreensaver 'galaxy' that these galaxies will both destroy each other. That is almost always how it happens in the screensaver, so it must be that way in real life.

  8. Re:Dwarf Galaxies. Yes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    But dwarf galaxies are not galaxies ...

    Hence we refer to them as galaxies...