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Inseparable Galactic Twins


Waspie_Dwarf

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Inseparable Galactic Twins

Looking towards the constellation of Triangulum (The Triangle), in the northern sky, lies the galaxy pair MRK 1034. The two very similar galaxies, named PGC 9074 and PGC 9071, are close enough to one another to be bound together by gravity, although no gravitational disturbance can yet be seen in the image. These objects are probably only just beginning to interact gravitationally.

Both are spiral galaxies, and are presented to our eyes face-on, so we are able to appreciate their distinctive shapes. On the left of the image, spiral galaxy PGC 9074 shows a bright bulge and two spiral arms tightly wound around the nucleus, features which have led scientists to classify it as a type Sa galaxy. Close by, PGC 9071 — a type Sb galaxy — although very similar and almost the same size as its neighbor, has a fainter bulge and a slightly different structure to its arms: their coils are further apart.

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There are a few probably and maybe`s in the link, is it possible they are now drifting apart, i ask that because of the numerous "old stars" with in it.

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There are a few probably and maybe`s in the link, is it possible they are now drifting apart, i ask that because of the numerous "old stars" with in it.

No, it is possible to measure the movement of galaxies with a fair degree of certainty. Besides objects in space (like everywhere else) follow Newton's Laws, they don't just suddenly change direction unless there is s force acting on them.

I'm not sure what having old stars in them would have to do with them changing direction anyway. Old galaxies have old stars.

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No, it is possible to measure the movement of galaxies with a fair degree of certainty. Besides objects in space (like everywhere else) follow Newton's Laws, they don't just suddenly change direction unless there is s force acting on them.

I'm not sure what having old stars in them would have to do with them changing direction anyway. Old galaxies have old stars.

That makes sense.

So how long have they been measuring the movements of these 2 particular galaxies?

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That makes sense.

So how long have they been measuring the movements of these 2 particular galaxies?

No idea, but it doesn't matter. They only need to know their current positions and direction of movement to extrapolate. As I said objects don't suddenly change direction unless a force is applied to them.

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No idea, but it doesn't matter. They only need to know their current positions and direction of movement to extrapolate. As I said objects don't suddenly change direction unless a force is applied to them.

I thought it would matter if it is possible to measure the movement of galaxies with a fair degree of certainty.

Do galaxies not already have some amount of 'force' surrounding or within them to be able to "move" and become spiral in the first place?

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I thought it would matter if it is possible to measure the movement of galaxies with a fair degree of certainty.

Why? If you know an objects direction of travel and it's velocity at any instant then you can calculate where it will be at a given time in the future.

Do galaxies not already have some amount of 'force' surrounding or within them to be able to "move" and become spiral in the first place?

You really don't understand very basic science do you? It doesn't matter what internal forces there are. It needs an external force acting on an object for a change in velocity (velocity is direction dependent).

Newton's First Law:

When viewed in an inertial reference frame, an object either is at rest or moves at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by a force.

In other words these two galaxies will continue on the same path unless some outside force acts upon them. In this case they are acting on each other, but that can be factored into any calculation of their future position and velocities.

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Gradually, these two neighbors will attract each other, the process of star formation will be increased and tidal forces will throw out long tails of stars and gas. Eventually, after maybe hundreds of millions of years, the structures of the interacting galaxies will merge together into a new, larger galaxy.

It was because of the above bit that I asked how long they had been watching these galaxies, we are told the Universe is expanding so just thought it would be possible that these 2 galaxies were not spiraling towards each other but spiraling apart. Without time to have watched them it would make a difference.

And it does say after "maybe" hundreds of millions of years,in others words....maybe not, we have no idea what the effect would be of 2 galaxies "merging" or how it would work without effecting other areas, maybe even Earth.

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