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Andromeda galaxy may not collide with the Milky Way after all
- A century later, in 2012, astrophysicists at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) predicted a collision between the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way in four billion years based on their motion towards each other.
- Using data from the Gaia astrometric mission, new modeling suggests a 50/50 chance of the collision happening or not, due to the gravitational effect of an additional galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud.
- The presence of the LMC may shift the collision trajectory, potentially turning a head-on collision into a near-miss, leading to uncertainties in the merger predictions.
- Proper motion of Andromeda is a critical factor, where a large enough combined transverse motion could avert a collision within the next 10 billion years.
- On the other hand, a smaller transverse motion could lead to a certain merger due to dynamical friction effects between galaxies.
- The ongoing challenge lies in accurately measuring Andromeda's proper motion, which is crucial in determining the likelihood of a collision with the Milky Way.
- Ambiguities in factors such as the LMC's mass estimate also contribute to uncertainties in the collision prediction.
- New data from ongoing analyses and observations are expected to provide clearer insights into the future trajectories of the galaxies, potentially reducing uncertainties in merger predictions.
- Even if a collision doesn't occur within the next 10 billion years, the possibility of a future merger between the Milky Way and Andromeda still remains, possibly taking tens of billions of years.
- Researchers suggest that additional data from ongoing studies could shed more light on the fate of the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies in the coming years.
- The research findings are published in Nature Astronomy, highlighting the evolving understanding of the potential collision between the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way.
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