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."

Comments

Hail!

[lorg]

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?

xscreensaver knows how this will end

[Jon Abbott]

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.