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From	Message
astinkyfart 28-Dec-12, 13:53	For Itchy Or anyone else if you are interested. I only say to itchy because he dabbles in this sort of thing. So anyway.....If the universe is expanding, which they theorize that it is and it all started from one point of origin, which they theorize that it did. How are the Milky way Galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy on a collision course? Seems to me everything would be moving apart. They do say all galaxies are moving apart but somehow these to are on a collision course. I haven't tried to look up the answer myself, just something I am curious about.
itchynscratchy 28-Dec-12, 16:50	Not absolutely sure but I think it's the local effect of gravity. I guess the gravitational attraction between the Milky Way and Andromeda is strong enough to overcome the expansion effect. Other, further away galaxies have too weak a gravitational attraction for this to happen.
dmaestro 28-Dec-12, 17:01	The expansion is not homogenous or unidirectional, and we now think it is affected by the presence of dark matter. Localized collisions and creations of giant black holes would result from uneven gravitational forces.
chaz5 28-Dec-12, 19:28	... with the creation of new stars and galaxies along the way, it was my impression that all matter is not going "out bound" from that original starting point anyhow. Subsequent galactic explosions, coupled with gravity, black holes, and miscellaneous collisions, prob'ly make for a rather chaotic path for any one object over long periods of time. Even light bends.
astinkyfart 28-Dec-12, 21:45	I can understand multidirectional occurrences with smaller things in the universe but with galaxies I have a problem with this theory. How can an expanding universe with galaxies expanding with it suddenly come together?
astinkyfart 28-Dec-12, 21:51	Itchy is right about gravity, I just find it odd or almost impossible that a galaxy that is going to collide with us in 5billion years is under any affect from gravity. This is more about my lack of understanding something so large.
changeling 28-Dec-12, 22:31	www.cosmosmagazine.com If the Milky Way is possibly travelling faster than Andromeda (even in the same direction) and is heavier in terms of gravitational pull, would it not stand to reason the Milky Way will overtake and drag Andromeda into its 'orbits'. As a non science person this is my layman understanding of what is happening.
softaire 28-Dec-12, 22:40	Galaxies are like "dodge-em" cars at the fair. Most dodge-em cars are trying to stay away from all the others. But some dodge-em cars are purposely trying to run into the others. Andromeda has a death wish and wants to run into the Milky Way. The Milky Way wants to dodge Andromeda but Andromeda is determined. It is kinda like DM wanting to self-destruct by running into conservatives. Conservatives want to avoid conflict but DM wants to run into them and he is determined!
astinkyfart 28-Dec-12, 22:59	Gravity would work on them equally. It isn't a case of one over taking the other I don't think. I think gravity is pulling them both toward one another.
changeling 28-Dec-12, 23:03	stinky I thought the Milky Way was travelling/expanding towards Andromeda at a faster speed than Andromeda is moving/expanding? Wouldn't that indicate the gravitational pull of the Milky Way to be greater, or is it because the Milky Way is a larger/heavier galaxy?
tat3225 28-Dec-12, 23:52	I've always found it useful to think of the universe as consisting of objects with changing distances between them, rather than thinking of "the universe" as one finite thing that is expanding to somewhere, from somewhere. But that's just how I think of it.

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