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Scientists simulate the merging of the Milky Way-Andromeda galaxy

The merging process will produce a giant elliptical galaxy, Milkomeda.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – A recent study revealed a simulation of how the merger of galaxies between Andromeda and the Milky Way could occur. The study was conducted by Riccardo Schiavi, Roberto Capuzzo-Dolcetta, Manuel Arca-Sedda, and Mario Spera and published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Andromeda Galaxy and Galaksi bima sakti slowly going towards each other. In 1912, American astronomer Vesto Slipher discovered that Andromeda galaxy is heading in the direction of the galaxy where the Earth is.

Many observations and corrections have improved understanding of this process, and even now, researchers have new insights into the migration and collisions of these galaxies.

The Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M31, is the largest spiral galaxy in the galaxy group, which also contains the Milky Way Galaxy. Andromeda weighs more than the Milky Way. The reason for this is the influence of the supermassive black hole that makes M31 a gravitational pathway, nearly 33 times larger than the Milky Way.

N-body simulation
Reported Mixture, in order to know how collisions between galaxies will occur, scientists must first simulate the phenomenon. They used something called an N-body simulation, a computer simulation that calculates the motion of particles.

In this type of simulation, you must first estimate the number of particles present in the simulated system. The particles in question here are massive objects in the galaxy. Keep in mind that this is an artificial representation of both galaxies, so the N-bodies are all the same.

Once established, scientists need to define the shape of the Milky Way and Andromeda and place their positions as close to reality as possible. M31 is located quite tilted when facing Earth and its velocity towards the human planet is about 110 km per second and that is one important part of the detail.

Another important information is the distance from the M31. With everything as close to reality as possible, astronomers can simulate collisions and mergers.

The Milky Way and Andromeda will begin colliding in 4.3 billion years and fully merge in 10 billion years. This situation may not be missed by humans today. The results show that the merging process will produce a giant elliptical galaxy, Milkomeda.

The team of scientists shows what will happen to the supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of both galaxies. According to them, the SMBH will coalesce around 16.6 billion years after the merger.

The team has also estimated what kinds of signals the merger will leave. The results show that the remaining emissions will only be detected by sensitive gravitational wave detectors, such as LISA.

According to simulations from the American Space Agency (NASA), the collision will begin in empathy for the next billion years. However, recent simulations suggest a potentially longer waiting time of four to five billion years.

According to the same NASA simulation results, it is unlikely that all the stars will collide. The possible scenario is that multiple systems, such as systems in the Solar System, will be pushed into different orbits. The merging of the SMBH will turn the stars into something that is still unknown.

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