Question

What will happen when the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way galaxy collide sometime in the next five billion years

A. The Milky Way will engulf the Andromeda galaxy.
B. They will merge to create one super galaxy.
C.They will crash together and both explode.
D. The Andromeda galaxy will engulf the Milky Way.

Answer 1

The most accurate answer to your question is:

**B. They will merge to create one super galaxy.**

When the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies collide in about 4 to 5 billion years, they will not "crash" in the traditional sense, as galaxies are mostly empty space. Instead, they will gravitationally interact and merge over a span of several billion years, ultimately forming a larger, single galaxy, often referred to as "Milkomeda" or "Milkdromeda." While there may be significant gravitational effects and the formation of new stars due to gas clouds colliding, the stars themselves are unlikely to collide due to the vast distances between them.