Galactic Collision

SopsSops Join Date: 2003-07-03 Member: 17894Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">but its not 2012 yet.</div><!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><b>Dark galaxy crashing into the Milky Way </b><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
22 November 2009

THE Milky Way's neighbourhood may be teeming with invisible galaxies, one of which appears to be crashing into our own.

In 2008, a cloud of hydrogen with a mass then estimated at about 1 million suns was found to be colliding with our galaxy. Now it appears the object is massive enough to be a galaxy itself.

Called Smith's cloud, it has managed to avoid disintegrating during its smash-up with our own, much bigger galaxy. What's more, its trajectory suggests it punched through the disc of our galaxy once before, about 70 million years ago.

To have survived, it must contain much more matter than previously thought, in order to provide enough gravity to hold it together. Calculations by Matthew Nichols and Joss Bland-Hawthorn of the University of Sydney, Australia, indicate that it has about 100 times the previously estimated mass (arxiv.org/abs/0911.0684).

Many more such dark galaxies may be out there, says Leo Blitz of the University of California, Berkeley. Simulations of galaxy formation suggest a galaxy the size of the Milky Way should feature about 1000 dwarf galaxies, but only a few dozen have been found so far. Some of the missing dwarfs may be dark galaxies that are all but invisible, he says.

<a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427354.200-dark-galaxy-crashing-into-the-milky-way.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news" target="_blank">http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg2042...ref=online-news</a>

Comments

  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    Oh no! Hydrogen clouds! THE SHEER TERROR IS TOO MUCH FOR ME! Do you think we will need airbags to make it through the collision okay?
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    Do some people gonna die?
  • SopsSops Join Date: 2003-07-03 Member: 17894Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1738707:date=Nov 22 2009, 03:05 PM:name=X_Stickman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (X_Stickman @ Nov 22 2009, 03:05 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1738707"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Do some people gonna die?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    The story says this happened before about 70 million years ago, the Dinosaurs died about 70 million years ago. Just saying.
  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    Pfft, a babby cloud. Someone call me when Andromeda crashes into us.
  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1738709:date=Nov 22 2009, 08:08 PM:name=Sops)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sops @ Nov 22 2009, 08:08 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1738709"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The story says this happened before about 70 million years ago, the Dinosaurs died about 70 million years ago. Just saying.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    OH NO, THIS HAPPENED 70 MILLION YEARS AGO AND FIVE MILLION YEARS LATER THE DINOSAURS DIED OUT! COINCIDENCE?!?!

    Call me when nuclear war breaks out and we have 40 minutes left to live. A five million year deadline doesn't scare me.
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1738709:date=Nov 22 2009, 07:08 PM:name=Sops)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sops @ Nov 22 2009, 07:08 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1738709"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The story says this happened before about 70 million years ago, the Dinosaurs died about 70 million years ago. Just saying.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I guess we're all dead then. And there is literally nothing we can do about it, absolutely nothing.

    How very depressing.
  • SopsSops Join Date: 2003-07-03 Member: 17894Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1738712:date=Nov 22 2009, 03:32 PM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lolfighter @ Nov 22 2009, 03:32 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1738712"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Call me when nuclear war breaks out and we have 40 minutes left to live. A five million year deadline doesn't scare me.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    One, I think 5 million years is probably within the margin of error for this kind of thing.
    Two, you guys suck at jokes.
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    I'm too depressed at the thought of planetary doom to make jokes.
  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    At least there will be more parking spaces if it does happen stickman!
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    May be we should send a probe at it!
  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1738726:date=Nov 22 2009, 08:09 PM:name=X_Stickman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (X_Stickman @ Nov 22 2009, 08:09 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1738726"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I don't drive.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Yeah you don't drive. You just crash very carefully.
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    I hit *one range rover.*

    And anyway, the damage buffed right out of the car.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    edited November 2009
    Can I has all you guys' stuffs when you quit life?
  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1738730:date=Nov 22 2009, 08:22 PM:name=X_Stickman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (X_Stickman @ Nov 22 2009, 08:22 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1738730"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I hit *one range rover.*

    And anyway, the damage buffed right out of the car.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    You can't buff out inertia stickman.

    <img src="http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9954/inertia.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
  • SvenpaSvenpa Wait, what? Join Date: 2004-01-03 Member: 25012Members, Constellation
    There was this doomsayer in Dragon Age, he had a point and the darkspawn sure was on their doorstep but do you know what I did?

    I killed him.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Hehe is that one of those new miniature city friendly eco cars Sonic :P
  • spellman23spellman23 NS1 Theorycraft Expert Join Date: 2007-05-17 Member: 60920Members
    damn that physics getting in the way of my dreams
  • PaniggPanigg Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58212Members
    edited November 2009
    Rulez are made to be broken! F### Gravity! *Floats away*
  • Cereal_KillRCereal_KillR Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1837Members
    :( But I had plans for this weekend:'(
  • gamakungamakun Join Date: 2007-11-20 Member: 62971Members, Constellation
    FIREZ THE MISSILESZ!
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    <!--quoteo(post=1739598:date=Nov 24 2009, 03:56 PM:name=gamakun)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gamakun @ Nov 24 2009, 03:56 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1739598"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->FIREZ THE MISSILESZ!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    But captain, Klingons stole our anomaly powered cannon
  • [WHO]Them[WHO]Them You can call me Dave Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10593Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1738716:date=Nov 22 2009, 11:38 AM:name=Sops)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sops @ Nov 22 2009, 11:38 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1738716"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think 5 million years is probably within the margin of error for this kind of thing.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    You're within the margin of error for this kind of thing.


    BUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRNNNNNNN
  • MulletMullet Join Date: 2003-04-28 Member: 15910Members, Constellation
    <img src="http://outfoxingkarlrove.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/tinfoil-hat-2.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Sign In or Register to comment.