Galaxy Mergers
Astronomers Uncover Mass Migration of Stars into Andromeda
Astronomers know that galaxies grow over time through mergers with other galaxies. We can see it happening in our galaxy.…
The Perfect Tidal Tail Connects These two Galaxies Seen by Hubble
Sometimes it's tempting to imagine a supernatural hand behind the arrangement of celestial bodies. But the Universe is big, huge…
Part of the Milky Way Is Much Older Than Previously Believed
The Milky Way is older than astronomers thought, or part of it is. A newly-published study shows that part of…
Astronomers see an Enormous Shockwave, 60 Times Bigger Than the Milky Way
Astronomers have a thing for big explosions and collisions, and it always seems like they are trying to one-up themselves…
The Large Magellanic Cloud Stole one of its Globular Clusters
Astronomers have known for years that galaxies are cannibalistic. Massive galaxies like our own Milky Way have gained mass by…
Rare Triple Galaxy Merger With at Least Two Supermassive Black Holes
One of the best things about that universe is that there is so much to it. If you look hard…
Astronomers see a Rare “Double Quasar” in a Pair of Merging Galaxies
What's better than a quasar? That's right, two quasars. Astronomers have spotted for the first time two rare double-quasars, and…
When Galaxies Collide, Black Holes Don’t Always Get the Feast They Were Hoping for
What happens when galaxies collide? Well, if any humans are around in about a billion years, they might find out.…
Galaxy Mergers can Boost Star Formation, and it can Also Shut it Down
Galaxy mergers are beautiful sights, but ultimately deadly. In the midst of the collision, the combined galaxy will shine brighter…
Astronomers Find the Hollowed-Out Shell of a Dwarf Galaxy that Collided With the Milky Way Billions of Years Ago
In 2005 astronomers found a dense grouping of stars in the Virgo constellation. It looked like a star cluster, except…