Milky Way And Andromeda Galactic Smash-Up Odds Now At 50-50

The odds of a cosmic collision between our home galaxy, the Milky Way, and its nearest neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy, have just gotten a whole lot more likely.

According to new data from astronomers, the chances of these two galaxies colliding in the distant future are now at an even 50-50. This is a significant shift from previous estimates that had put the odds lower than 20%.

What Does it Mean?

• The collision, which would occur in about 4.5 billion years, would be one of the most spectacular events in cosmic history. The two galaxies are currently hurtling towards each other at a speed of around 250,000 miles per hour.
• When they collide, it's estimated that the resulting galaxy will be several hundred thousand light-years across – roughly 10 times bigger than our current Milky Way.

Astronomers have long known that the Andromeda galaxy is on a collision course with the Milky Way. However, new observations and simulations have helped to refine their predictions, making it clear that we're in for a big show if these galaxies do indeed collide.