Andromeda to collide with Milky Way in ~4 billion years

[Dowly]

May 31, 2012: NASA astronomers say they can now predict with certainty
the next major cosmic event to affect our galaxy, sun, and solar system: the
titanic collision of our Milky Way galaxy with the neighboring Andromeda
galaxy.

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news...may_andromeda/

Bring it on!

[CaptainMattJ.]

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show....php?p=1891913

[mookiemookie]

Want to be depressed? Read the timeline of the far future:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_far_future

7.9 Billion years: The Sun reaches the tip of the red giant branch, achieving its maximum radius of 256 times the present day value.[36] In the process, Mercury, Venus and possibly Earth are destroyed.[38]

[Blacklight]

Also, by then , Earth's orbit may be crazy as well. It's VERY hard for a planet to stay in a perfectly stable orbit. Over time, small perturbations in the Earth's orbit might add up and throw us into a radically different apocalyptic orbit. Frankly, it's amazing that Earth has stayed in this relatively stable orbit THIS long. Most planetary systems end up with really eccentric orbiting planets.

[Agiel7]

However, given the astronomic distances between celestial bodies, the chances that a given object will collide with another (a planet, star, etc) in the Milky Way/Andromeda merge are an extremely tiny fraction of a percentage.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Blacklight

Also, by then , Earth's orbit may be crazy as well. It's VERY hard for a planet to stay in a perfectly stable orbit. Over time, small perturbations in the Earth's orbit might add up and throw us into a radically different apocalyptic orbit.

I think it works exactly the other way around. Small oddities in orbit over time level out. Even big ones, as the scientific model of how solar systems accrete tiny pieces into bigger rocks and finally into big clusters that then form out as even spheres and finally planets. From a wild party with millions and millions of carambolages to a relatively tidy place with few objects revolving in elliptic orbits around the sun that at first glance appear to be round circles. The forces that may occasionally work against the established "gravitational structure" of the solar system and one of its objects may be exixstent, but are so small that they are of theoretical value only. For example the net effect often mentioned solar winds "pushing" against the moon per year accumulate to an eqivalent of the force of four tennis balls being thrown against the moon. Now imagine how many balls you need to throw before the moon changes it'S orbit, and consider that the moon is subject to a much stronger player as well: Earth'S gravitation that has even stopped it to revolve around its own axis independently (that'S why the moon shows us always the same side, no matter where it is located around Earth).

It would need the impact of a very huge stellar object colliding with a planet to make it changing its orbit. And I do not mean a 2 km meteor only, I mean HUGE. Can happen, but is not what you had on mind when saying that small perturbations may add up in total effect to change orbits.

So the fate of moonbase Alpha-1 in 1999 will probably never meet us.

[U570]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Want to be depressed? Read the timeline of the far future:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_far_future

or even more depressed? In the year 10^10^10^10^10^1.1, the chaos theory becomes a reality, and a supermassive blackhole with the mass of the universe will reverse the Big Bang into the Extremely Quick Suck

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by U570

or even more depressed? In the year 10^10^10^10^10^1.1, the chaos theory becomes a reality, and a supermassive blackhole with the mass of the universe will reverse the Big Bang into the Extremely Quick Suck

It would definately be interesting to witness that... most likely not very comfortable though.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by CaptainMattJ.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show....php?p=1891913

Ah, only searched for 'Andromeda'.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by U570

or even more depressed? In the year 10^10^10^10^10^1.1, the chaos theory becomes a reality, and a supermassive blackhole with the mass of the universe will reverse the Big Bang into the Extremely Quick Suck

Remember that science does not formulate absolute certainties, but theories only. Well-founded and lasting theories they become only by the knowledge of the time in which they get founded.

In the end, our perception of the universe around us, is just inside our heads. In some years alrerady, I will be gone. So why should I feel effected and depressed by somethign happening in several billion years - or not? The mosquito I slap with my hand does not care for me killing it. So we must not feel depressed over the future of the universe.

Marvelling the many wonders we can see, is good enough. One look through a telescope or microscope beats the sight of a burning bush in the desert or a glimpse into a crystal orb any time!

[August]

Originally Posted by Skybird

One look through a telescope or microscope beats the sight of a burning bush in the desert or a glimpse into a crystal orb any time!

Not if something looks back from that bush or orb.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by August

Not if something looks back from that bush or orb.

[August]

Originally Posted by Dowly

scary spider

I hate to break into that fantasy world you live in but spiders aren't bushes or magic orbs. It does however sound like a cool place to check out. Can I come visit you someday when I need a break from reality?

[Dowly]

Find your own special happy place!

[Skybird]

There is a (true!) news story from India that would make a nice screenplay for a horror movie. A village there has been invaded by a claimed new species of spiders that are huge, unusually aggressive, and lethal. More than a dozen people got attacked and bitten, two died. The government has used chemicals in large quantities in and around the village. They have sent dead spiders to institutes around the world to have them helping in identification.

The spiders are half as big as a hand palm. And as said: very aggressive and obviously lethal.

It seems they have had a decently sized panic in that place.

Where is Hollywood when you really need it?