Science report
Today’s topic is: Our Neighbouring galaxy
Introduction
Out in the vastness of space, there are lots and lots of things which we can not think not be able to…
So we see our closest thing we can think of…..our nearest galaxy “Andromeda”(the name is quite the pomp)
Andromeda Galaxy
The Andromeda Galaxy also known as NGC 224 and originally the Andromeda Nebula, is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth and the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way.
The virial mass of the Andromeda Galaxy is of the same order of magnitude as that of the Milky Way, at 1 trillion solar masses (2.0×10^42 kilograms)(That’s a lot!!!!). The mass of either galaxy is difficult to estimate with any accuracy, but it was long thought that the Andromeda Galaxy is more massive than the Milky Way by a margin of some 25% to 50%. This has been called into question by a 2018 study that cited a lower estimate on the mass of the Andromeda Galaxy, combined with preliminary reports on a 2019 study estimating a higher mass of the Milky Way.
Formation of a galaxy
Astronomers are still not sure how galaxies are made but there is an assumption that it starts with a giant cloud of gas that is swirling around and with interaction with gravitation these form into galaxies.
The Andromeda galaxy was formed 10 billion years ago.
The distance between the earth and the neighbouring galaxy is about 2.5 million light-years(it takes about 2.5 million years to go to Andromeda galaxy by travelling at the speed of light!!)
Collision with The milky way
As we are neighbours it is expected to have clashes between us and it is going to happen when umm…(we would be dead…that was cold)
But no worries it would take more than 4 billion years to collide directly with our galaxy.
The outcome isn’t clear as well but it is hypothesised that they will merge and form a spiral galaxy and earth may or may not be in our milky way Galaxy.
Till then
Bye! Have a great time.
