What physical phenomenon describes the expected future merger between the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy?
Answer
A collision and merger into a massive elliptical galaxy
The Milky Way and Andromeda are currently moving toward each other at a speed of 110 kilometers per second. This trajectory will lead to a collision in roughly 4 to 5 billion years. This process is a common evolutionary path for galaxies, involving the compression of gas and dust to trigger new star formation, ultimately resulting in the creation of a single, massive elliptical galaxy.
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Andromeda and the Local Group (go to 2020 4K edition) - YouTube
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