Where will the Solar System end up?

[Argonavis (William)]

Recent modelling indicates that the solar system will be disrupted from the Milky Way after the next 2 close encounters with the Andromeda galaxy:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...s-collide.html

The Andromeda Galaxy, about 2.5 times the size of the milky way galaxy at 220,000 light year across, is heading our way at 300 kms/sec.

The modelling indicates that on the third encounter, both galaxies will merge.

[robagar]

hmm, I doubt they can really predict where the sun *in particular* will end up after a collision. There can't be many interactions more chaotic than gravitional attraction between billions of stars =)

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

What ever location researchers end up placing us at, who is going to be around in a few Million years to say "Ha Ha, you got it wrong!"

[sheeny (Al)]

This was in this morning's news @ nature:

http://www.nature.com/news/2007/0705.../070514-3.html

Al.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by sheeny

This was in this morning's news @ nature:

http://www.nature.com/news/2007/0705.../070514-3.html

Al.

I'm not going to pay $7.99 per month just to read your link!!!!

[sheeny (Al)]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

I'm not going to pay $7.99 per month just to read your link!!!!

Sorry about that Ken... Nature seems to make these link available, and then change the access at some random time afterwards so that it becomes a "premium" subscriber article... I could read it this morning but not this arvo...

Seems a strange thing to do if you ask me...

Al.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

That's OK Al.

[Greg Bryant]

Ken,

The subject was a feature article - "The Great Milky Way - Andromeda Collision" in the Jan/Feb 2007 issue of Australian Sky & Telescope.