It has been known for many years that the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), our closest big galaxy neighbor, has been moving towards the Milky Way, a galaxy about 120,000 light-years away.
However, until recently, astronomers were uncertain whether this would result in a direct impact, a near miss, or a single collision.
The challenge lies in accurately determining the exact direction of the approach, despite knowing the relative speed at which M31 is moving. The best estimate suggests that the collision between M31 and the Milky Way will be nearly head-on in approximately 4 billion years.
Recent studies indicate that the collision may already be underway, as both galaxies are enveloped by massive halos extending well beyond their visible stars, potentially constituting up to 70% of their mass.
In fact, it is believed that the halos of M31 and the Milky Way are currently interacting with each other.
This article addresses a question posed by Lewis Irwin from Shrewsbury: “When will the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxy collide?”
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
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