Galaxy collisions
Galaxy collisions occur when two or more galaxies come together and merge due to gravitational attraction. When galaxies collide, their stars and gas clouds interact violently, reshaping the structures of both galaxies. These events are important for understanding how galaxies evolve over billions of years and grow into their current forms. During a collision, the merger rate is a key measurement of galactic evolution that helps astronomers piece together how galaxies developed. Collisions often trigger intense bursts of new star formation as gas clouds compress and collide with each other. The end result is typically a new galaxy with a completely transformed shape, often becoming an elliptical galaxy from what were originally spiral galaxies.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org: “Galaxy mergers can occur when two (or more) galaxies collide. They are the most violent type of galaxy interaction.”
- en.wikipedia.org: “Galaxy mergers are important because the merger rate is a fundamental measurement of galaxy evolution and also provides astronomers with clues about how galaxies grew into their current forms over long stretches of time.”
- en.wikipedia.org: “Mergers are also locations of extreme amounts of star formation.”