When Galaxies Collide

Date and Time:
Monday, August 27th, 2018, 7:45 PM – 8:30 PM
Type:
Class/Workshop
Location:
Black Rock Observatory Theme Camp

Description:

A tale of two galaxies, separated by millions of light years, but drawn together by the unstoppable force of, yes, you got that right: Gravity! One galaxy is our own Milky Way, the other, Andromeda. Fated to collide and eventually merge. Come see pictures of the predicted galactic mash-up. Learn whether this sort of thing is common, and whether we should be worried, or not. Can the Sun possibly survive this collision? What implications do galactic collisions have for the fate of the universe? Does the big bang predict this, even? Finally we will hear about the lastest results from the Gaia mission on the eventual collision.
David “Doc” Reitzel works as an astronomer at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. His research interests include the formation and evolution of galaxies from the big bang to the present day.