Theme: Colliding Galaxies

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Text, Viewspace. The show will continue in 15 seconds. Coming up: See Galaxies Collide. 

 

The timer at top right counts down from 15 seconds. 

 

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The text appears on a background of stars which move slowly towards and past us. 

 
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 A white, blue, and orange spiral galaxy. 

Text, A galaxy, containing billions of stars, floats serenely in space. 

A wider view shows that it is not alone. 

A second, smaller spiral galaxy is beside the first. 

Two orange spiral galaxies neighbor a white spiral galaxy. 

Text, Gravity pulls galaxies toward each other and binds them into groups. 

Collisions are inevitable. 

Here, two galaxies are engaged in a collision. 

A wisp of gas binds two galaxies together. 

Text, Eventually they'll merge to form one, much larger galaxy. 

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[SLOW ELECTRONIC MUSIC]

 

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White and yellow stars and dust clouds trail from two galaxies.

 

Text, HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE. THE MICE (N.G.C. 4 6 7 6). Stars and gas stream like tails away from a pair of galaxies nicknamed The Mice. Such starry streamers are a tell-tale sign that a galaxy collision is in full swing.

 

As two galaxies sweep around each other, their gravitational attraction pulls strongest at the nearest stars and gas.

 

The gas and stars farthest from the heart of the action trail behind as the galaxies perform their gravitational dance.

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 Top left, a black and white picture of a minotaur. Top right, a color picture of galaxies. 

Text, MYTH versus REALITY 

Myth side 

Text, Because the universe is expanding, all galaxies are moving away from one another. 

Reality side 

Text, If galaxies are close enough to each other, their mutual gravitational pull can overcome the expansion of the universe and keep the galaxies together in a group or cluster. In fact, if galaxies are too close, gravity can pull them toward one another until they collide. 

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[ATONAL MUSIC]

 

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A spiral galaxy's arms have wide spaces between them. Another spiral galaxy has flattened and elongated.

 

Text, A recent encounter has warped these two galaxies into beautiful but peculiar states.

 

In the larger galaxy, the outermost spiral arm has been yanked askew.

 

Clusters of young, blue stars spread like a rash around the galaxy.

 

In the smaller galaxy, tails of stars and gas stretch out from either end.

 

Fits of new star formation illuminate parts of the galaxy.

 

All this visual evidence adds up to one conclusion.

 

This galactic pandemonium was instigated by the small galaxy as it swung past the larger one in the not-too-distant past. HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE. A.R.P. 273.

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 Top left, a black and white picture of a minotaur. Top right, a color picture of galaxies. 

Text, MYTH versus REALITY 

Myth side 

Text, Our solar system will be destroyed when the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies collide. 

Reality side 

Text, It is highly improbable that our Sun and solar system will crash into any other star or solar system when the two galaxies meet. The spaces between stars are so enormous that almost all stars will pass by each other peacefully during the merger. Astronomers predict that our solar system will survive the impending galactic collision. 

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Rotating planet with atmosphere, galaxies in space as backdrop.

 

Text, at a Glance. Galactic Collisions.

 

The upcoming collision with the Andromeda Galaxy will not be the milky way's first galactic clash.

 

Two galaxies approach each other, swing back and forth, then bind into one.

 

Text, Minor merger. Our galaxy has had several run ins with smaller galaxies in the past.

 

Thanks to its superior size and bulk, the milky way survived those interactions relatively intact.

 

The smaller galaxies, on the other hand, were ripped apart into streams of stars and gas that our galaxy will eventually absorb.

 

Major merger. however, the Milky Way and Andromeda are similar in size and bulk.

 

This will make their collision devastating for both parties.

 

The smashup will render both galaxies unrecognizable.

 

In the end, the two galactic titans will combine to form one large, oval-shaped elliptical galaxy.

 

A large red galaxy spins after two smaller ones combine.

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 Galaxies collide. 

Text, HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE. GALACTIC SMASHUPS. 

As galaxies run into each other, stars and gas spew out in wispy tails. 

Numerous images of galaxy collisions slowly swirl as we zoom in and out from them.