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For new subscribers of the blog, I sometimes go slightly off-topic to share my geek love for all things space.
The Antennae Galaxies are currently colliding to form one giant galaxy. The orange regions represent the original cores of both galaxies and the old stars and filaments of dust represent the brown regions. The collision first started approximately a hundred million years ago and during the course of this merge, billions of stars will be born, represented in the bright blue regions.
What is most interesting is that the concept of colliding galaxies is fairly common and that most galaxies undergo at least one significant collision in their lifetimes. Our own Milky Way Galaxy will likely collide with the neighboring Andromeda Galaxy in the next several billion years.
I love this stuff. I recently read an article that Betelgeuse is getting ready to go into supernova. It could happen anytime between today and a million years from now.
Whoa, I know nothing about this stuff. Interesting!
Liz: Ah, love it too. So nice to have fellow space geeks :) And I’m *really* excited about Betelgeuse becoming a second sun in the sky — that is going to be awesome.
Ghenet: Ha. I grew up loving all things space and astronomy. Living in the country gives way to beautiful star-filled skies.
That’s beautiful! Thanks for sharing! :)
Pretty cool! I love pictures of outer space!
Oooh, I didn’t know you were a fellow geek! Did you hear this interview on Fresh Air this week:
http://www.npr.org/2011/01/24/132932268/a-physicist-explains-why-parallel-universes-may-exist.
A brain-bending good time.
I love space science, and this is absolutely fascinating. It’s amazing how vast and brain-eclipsing the universe it.
Jessica & Laura: It is a gorgeous picture even with all the chaos going on. Love space pics! :)
Tamara: Ooh, thanks for sharing that link! :) Didn’t know you were a fellow geek too, ha. I’ve read some of Brian Greene’s books and they are fascinating. I’ll definitely have to check out this newest one.
Emy: I loves space science too. I really do hope that after 2014, they find a way to keep the Hubble telescope operational. The pics only represent a tiny fraction of our beautiful universe. :)
A galaxy collision, wow, I can hardly wait! Oh wait, I’ll be missing that…..
Wow. Just wow. It blows my mind that things like that actually exist!