This illustration released by NASA depicts a view of the night sky just before the predicted merger between our Milky Way galaxy, left, and the neighboring Andromeda galaxy. Astronomers had seen the Andromeda galaxy coming at us, but thought there was a chance that its sideways motion would make it miss or graze the Milky Way. Hubble readings say there's no chance of that.(AP Photo/NASA)
The world of astronomy is ridiculously busy right now.
First, there was the
solar eclipse. It was the first time a full solar eclipse was visible in North America since 1994.
It was quite a sight, as the photos in the above link show. While it wasn’t a full eclipse here, and the sun set before it ended, it was still visible and it was still spectacular.
Then, news came yesterday from NASA that at some time in the future, our galaxy--the Milky Way--would
collide with the nearby Andromeda galaxy.
The first thing to know is that it will happen in about four to seven billion years, when the human race will probably be extinct. So, you don’t need to go prepare your telescope or anything.
Using measurements taken with the Hubble Space Telescope and lots and lots and lots of math (Stay in school, kids!), scientists with NASA have determined that the galaxies will merge into one giant elliptical galaxy.
The most remarkable part of this are the mockups NASA created to show what the night sky will look like then, since you’ll be dead and gone when it happens. Here is a video simulation, from NASA:
I know, right?! Incredible.
Andromeda is currently about 2.5 million light years from the Milky Galaxy, but the gravity of both galaxies is pulling them together slowly but surely, and at an increasing pace.
The collision will jostle all the stars and planets in the galaxies, but they are far enough apart that individual collisions aren’t likely. Our solar system will likely just move further out toward the fringes of the new galaxy.
Again, this will happen in and over billions of years. Calm down.
Finally, sky watchers will have the chance to see Venus in a way they won’t be able to again until 2117. On June 5, the second rock from the sun will pass across the face of the sun, creating a silhouette for several hours before sunset, called the transit of Venus. It’s like an eclipse, but a small dot rather than complete coverage. Like this:
Two transits eight years apart occur in a 100-year cycle. There was a transit in 2004, so again, we’ll all likely be dead when the next one happens. And if you’re still alive when it happens, you’re probably an infant now and can’t read this right now anyway.
To view the transit, first and foremost you should
never, ever, ever look directly at the sun. That is dumb dumb dumb.
What you can do is go to the Tulsa Air and Space Museum or the new planetarium at Jenks High School. Both are having special events to view the transit safely. You can read more about the transits in the Tulsa World next week!
--Jerry Wofford
