More recently, astrophysicists called Andromeda "space predator", considering that it devours located nearby dwarf galaxy. Now the prosecution is withdrawn. However, according to the latest disappointing figures, we expect the collision of the milky Way Galaxy, where the Solar system) and of the Andromeda nebula. Solves one - whether it will be four billion years, and mankind (if at that time it still will exist) will not be affected.

Lots of room!

The Andromeda galaxy or galaxy M31, is away from us 772 kiloparsec, or 2,52 million light years. Together with the Milky Way it is a part of group of 50 galaxies bound by gravity and called the Local group.

Recently NASA held a press conference at which the Scientific employee of Institute of space telescopes in Baltimore (USA) Roland van der Marel demonstrated unique shots of the Andromeda nebula made of orbital telescope Hubble for 22 years. These images allow us to determine that it really is moving closer to the Milky Way, and the rate of convergence is about 120 kilometers per second. If the rate will remain constant, then the merger of galaxies (or collision?) will begin in four billion years, and six billion will be completed. It is not excluded, incidentally, that the galaxy will collide, they will not hold together, just disperse in space. Well, indeed, there is little room for them, or what?

Gaia will put everything in its places

In this part of the Universe does not have any objects that could change the script. Scientists assume that if the final convergence of Andromeda and the milky Way will become a merger, then the result will be a new galaxy, which will have the elliptic form. For it even came up with the name Milkomeda, or Russian - Milky Andromeda. The sun, which by that time can turn into a "red giant", this will be quite far from the galactic center, the distance between the stars will increase.

To draw definitive conclusions about what can we expect in four billion years, it will be possible after the European space Agency will be put into orbit space telescope Gaia. It will happen, most likely later this year. With its help you can set how fast and in which direction will continue its movement Andromeda nebula.

By the way, when two galaxies will merge and black holes. However, as compared with the masses of galaxies, they are extremely small, no special effect is not expected.

Not participants, and spectators

Van der Marel, by the way, does not exclude the possibility of collision of the sun or the Earth from space objects from the Andromeda nebula, stressing, however, that this possibility is very small. So if humanity will reach the landmark event of universal scale, most likely, will be just a spectator, as, for example, would change the map of the starry sky, but not a victim of space Apocalypse.

Speaking at a press conference after van der Marlom assistant Director of NASA on scientific Affairs John Grunsfeld reported that cannot be excluded in the future merger of the milky Way and other galaxies, which are quite close to us, for example, with the galaxy Triangle.