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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."
This is just a model for one galaxy nomming another. God - whether such an entity exists or not - has nothing to do with it, it's an entirely natural motion, predicted, expected, and surprising no one with sufficient education.
I am a science fantasy fan
This is no a surprise, considering that we originally belong to Sagittarius and are being devoured ourselves by this alien "Milky Way" galaxy...
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
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?
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.
I thought Andromeda was only the closest /spiral/ galaxy. There are other satellite galaxies rotating around the Milky Way which are closer in distance than Andromeda.
This is local. What's happening on a global (ok, universal) scale is that the universe is expanding and after 100 trillion years all the hydrogen will be used up and there will be no more stars (or at least very few of them) and 10^whatever years after that the universe will just be a bunch of black holes slowly oozing out Hawking radiation. Very bleak.
... looks remarkably similar to a belch sound.
Have gnu, will travel.
That's why I plant to commit suicide on my 99-trillionth birthday.
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.
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This is local. What's happening on a global (ok, universal) scale is that the universe is expanding and after 100 trillion years all the hydrogen will be used up and there will be no more stars (or at least very few of them) and 10^whatever years after that the universe will just be a bunch of black holes slowly oozing out Hawking radiation. Very bleak.
So says the species that still thinks there is "Dark matter" and "dark energy" out there somewhere.
Physicists don't like to dwell on this point when summarizing what their research accomplished, but we really don't know enough to be definitive about how the universe will evolve. To wit: our LOCAL time-cone appears to be expanding, and if (1) this observation is correct, (2) the universe is homogenous to our time-cone, and (3) there isn't some exterior force pushing us together, then we'll all wind up in a cold death in the end.
For all we know, the vacuum of space might just have a slight red-tint to it, causing this "red-shift" that makes us think the universe is expanding. It's not like we have rulers or anything.
If "god" is a factor in random events happening in the universe, next time you buy a lottery ticket and lose, or find your home galaxy is being engulfed by another galaxy, you have someone to blame.
It's always good to have someone to blame, rather than accepting the fact that random events do happen. And yes, it was "god" that made the bird shit on your car today, just after you washed it.
Now, if I was able to take a ship to observe the collision, that would be awe inspiring, but would not make me believe in the mysterious invisible entity in the sky of your choice. And, regardless of which "god" entity you chose, you're then declaring everyone of a different belief to be wrong. That is, unless you're always right, and the universe is packed with souls that are obviously not as smart as you, unless they believe your way.
Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
For all we know, the vacuum of space might just have a slight red-tint to it, causing this "red-shift" that makes us think the universe is expanding. It's not like we have rulers or anything.
A red-tint is completely different from a redshift. The rulers are the hydrogen (and other elements) spikes in absorption spectra received from distant starts/galaxies/quasars... But you are right that this dark matter debate is one of the most mysterious in science today. We are in a similar position as with the 'unexplainable' results of the Michelson-Morley experiments over a century ago. It will probably get solved by a guy saying: "Look, it's really simple, just consider this..." like Einstein did with "the speed of light is fixed, no matter the referential... and here are the consequences"
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