The galaxy next door

Donald Craig, Jr., Indianapolis, Indiana — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 22:24:57 GMT

Once again, Andromeda reveals it secrets to us and helps us understand our beginings. We learn by looking long and hard in a mirror over 2.5 million light-years away. We are in a golden age of discovery.

The galaxy next door

John Doe, Seattle, WA — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 23:46:49 GMT

Andromeda is lighter than Milky Way, if we include dark matter, it appears.

The galaxy next door

Alfred Kelgarries — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 01:10:42 GMT

The recent discoveries of brown dwarf stars (and mini-solar-systems around them!) being more numerous than previously thought could mean that, if you count the brown dwarf population, Andromeda might have 1.5 trillion "stars".

The galaxy next door

Robin Banks, Mill Creek, Washington — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 02:04:30 GMT

...and it's headed right for us. To bad I can't be there to see it.

The galaxy next door

Alan Boyle — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 02:51:19 GMT

That's right, Robin ... meant to mention that in the item. Andromeda and the Milky Way are headed for a collision in, oh, about 4 billion years or so. You can check out this NASA kids' page on the future crack-up ... http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/F_When_Gallaxies_Collide.html ... or this cool Flash presentation from the Space Telescope Science Institute: http://hubblesite.org/discoveries/cosmic_collision/

The galaxy next door

Tom Perkins, Detroit, MI — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 02:57:50 GMT

The Milky Way is OK I guess. But personally I prefer a Snickers.

The galaxy next door

dennis redclift, Kingsville,Maryland — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 03:06:05 GMT

To fathom one and a half trillion stars is as humbling and mind bending as This creature of Earth can experience with a close second being how can egos of mankind be so vain as to allow themselves to lead lives focused on the mundane and temporal when true majesty & marvel are to be seen in the light emitted by those stars long before the Earth existed.

The galaxy next door

A. Garcia, San Benito, Texas — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 03:25:54 GMT

It is good to know I and the rest of humanity won't be around when Andromeda Galaxy collides with our home galay, Milky Way Galaxy.

The galaxy next door

Joe — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 04:03:39 GMT

WOW this is AWESOME. Quote"Andromeda and the Milky Way are headed for a collision in, oh, about 4 billion years or so"End quote wooo that will be an interesting day for Earth.

The galaxy next door

martin, arlington tx — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 04:47:52 GMT

only 4 billion years?? i plan on being there. with a little popcorn, sunglasses, sunblock and my time machine. anyone need a ride??

The galaxy next door

LANE, WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:36:42 GMT

BILLIONS OF STARS AND THE MOST ABUNDANT ELEMENTS ARE HYDROGEN, HELIUM, AND OXYGEN. I GUESS WE SHOULD BELIEVE PAT ROBERTSON WHEN HE SAYS THERE IS NO LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS.

The galaxy next door

Mark — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:43:00 GMT

Yet another reminder of what tiny grains of sand we are in this vast ocean.

The galaxy next door

Dan, Vancouver WA — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:55:50 GMT

wouldn't it be ironic if Andromeda gets here just about the time we've used up all the raw materials in this galaxy?

The galaxy next door

Henry A. Eckstein, Vancuver, BC, Canada — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 07:37:16 GMT

Think About It!
Our own galaxy has 400 BILLION stars and if one
applies a probability that one percent have at least
orbiting planets, that means 400,000,000 systems like
our own and of that 1 percent probably has planets
in the "Green Zone" which would support life
or 4,000,000 systems and of that one percent might
support microbial life or 40,000 systems with
some sort of life. And finally 1 percent
or 400 planets might have intelligent life
and of that 4 will have technologically adept
life forms. To you all, I suggest that this is a
conservative estimate. Multiply 4 technological
civilizations per galaxy and at 1000+ galaxies
in the local super-cluster alone, it is probable that the universe is teeming with beings just like us.
I'm not sure if that is a scary thought or if it's
something to be celebrated. Plus why aren't they here yet?

The galaxy next door

Graham Greene, Perth, Western Australia — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 09:55:14 GMT

Anyone get the feeling that we're just bouncing around God's pinball table?

The galaxy next door

g. vaught — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 10:16:34 GMT

I am inexperienced in astronomy, but have great interest in space and all of it's mysteries. can anyone tell me what is driving andromeda and our milky way? Is it something unknown to us? maybe someone could point me in the right direction. thank you

The galaxy next door

mark hardy , knox ,in. — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 12:39:31 GMT

here we are on this large chunk of dirt and water spinning around floating thru space. talk about feeling insecure!

The galaxy next door

Wade Whitlock, Aberdeen, MD — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 13:25:46 GMT

Interesting comments, but still hung up on "galactic collisions". However crowded the star scape looks, there is still mostly empty space. Actual collisions will be rare. Gravitic captures and ejections will be the norm. The best view would be from somewhere out around the Magellanics.

If Martin is supplying the time machine, I will buy the popcorn, sodas and sunscreen!

Hasn't the estimate of the population of Andromeda gone up and down like a yo-yo over the last while? Especially since we are looking from the middle of the local dust pile, I have to wonder about the mass estimates of the Milky Way.

Thanks for the Gemini and Spitzer Links. Wonderfully cosmic.

The galaxy next door

Bob — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 13:49:37 GMT

Andromeda has roughly 1 trillion stars, WOW!!

The galaxy next door

Frank Glover — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:59:05 GMT

When our galaxies 'collide,' even if you're here for it, expect no fireworks. the average distance between the stars will continue to be many light-years. You'd see a very slow distortion of both objects, with the Milky Way possibly being absorbed by Andromeda. It's happened/happening elsewhere.

And it should be noted that hydrogen and helium are the most abundant elements in *this* solar system (primarily in the mass of the Sun, and a fraction in the gas giant planets) And yet here *we* are, living on the heavy element debris generated in past novas/supernovas. And it appears that a great many other stars posess such 'debris' (also known as planets) around them, with perhaps many potential places that life could exist.

Never get your astrophysics or astrobiology from an evangelist. If there's a God, He, like the Universe itself, is bigger than that...

The galaxy next door

Ryan Walsh, Brooklyn, NY — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 15:05:43 GMT

I think we might do a little better to make sure that there's still life on this planet in 100 years before we worry too much about something 4 Billion years into our increasingly uncertain future.

The galaxy next door

Alan Boyle — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 15:24:43 GMT

Hello and welcome to G. Vaught: Asronomers say the Milky Way and Andromeda are approaching each other because they're close enough for mutual gravitational attraction (a local effect) to overcome the general expansion of the universe. In short, gravity sucks. For more fun facts about the Milky Way, check out this tourist's guide to the galaxy (courtesy of our friends at Space.com): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11591902/

The galaxy next door

Bobbie, Charlotte, NC — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 15:30:35 GMT

Amazing article. Extremely humbling, as Dennis Redclift said. This puts my soul at ease. Thank you, NASA!

The galaxy next door

Kevin, Upstate NY — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 15:37:44 GMT

People/we tend to think of ourselves as seperate from the universe/cosmos/creation. But in actuality , if you dwell on it, we are the same as the uni-verse. We are less actors on a stage and more of a window or eyes of the universe. When we look at 'Andromeda' we are looking at 'ourselves'. ( 'ourselves' not being the right word here because it means plurality when there is no plurality). This being understood the question; 'Where are the others?' loses meaning. It doesn't matter...we are already here!

The galaxy next door

Cliff Potter, Lake Forest, IL — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 15:58:48 GMT

Space has a way of bringing mankind together. When the first satelite was sent into orbit, we gazed into space, amazed by that twinkling that we had added to the skys. When the first man was put into orbit, we tried to find that blinking light. When we sent astronauts (a term still seeking meaning by getting to the stars) to the moon, we listened in rapture as they spoke to us, and watched as the first man took that small step for mankind.

With all that is good about us, we find time to dawdle, spending what is at least a trillion dollars this decade on military aggression with no end in sight.

Take that money, spend some on space and other humanitarian efforts, and in no time mankind will again gaze at the stars as if they are in reach. We need men on Mars, and vehicles to take them there quickly, not weapons to find targets in bunkers.

Where this comes is from leadership. We have been taken away from grace and goodness by hate and misunderstanding.

The universe is there for us to reach for, and with it to change the world. We need the right people for the job.

The galaxy next door

Ric Turner, Savannah, GA — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 16:44:19 GMT

But science in general has determined that a big issue with the subject of extraterrestrial life is not the vast distances that must be overcome, but the vast *timescales* encountered.

The galaxy next door

Doug Fingles, Warner Robins, GA — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 16:47:39 GMT

I propose we rename Andromeda to "NASCAR", since both seem to be full of PAHs...

The galaxy next door

Kris Jackson — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:21:39 GMT

In answer to the question "What's driving us?" (Milky Way snd Andromeda), gravity is pulling us together, and energy is pushing us around -- energy from the momentum of the Big Bang, energy of stars burning and exploding, the mysterious "dark energy" we don't understand, but which we know is out there. As to where all this energy ultimately comes from, well, Pat Robertson's answer is as good as that of any scientist. We all have ideas, but nobody knows for sure.

The galaxy next door

Redpaw — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 19:30:14 GMT

I can clearly see entire smaller galaxies, suns, planets being stripped of everything in the images and the smoke trails trailing off into space. I'd like to think that these explosions create life rather than completely innihilate all within that zone.

I find images like this completely fascinating and tend to think that nearby worlds would never see what was coming right at them from an explosion so far away.

next image please.....

The galaxy next door

rek — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 19:57:36 GMT

I like that, "We all have ideas, but nobody knows for sure." Wouldn't the bodies in out galaxy have more of an "attraction" being close and collapse on itself before Andromeda gets here? That’s if the theory of local effect is true.

The galaxy next door

Mike, Boston — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 20:33:05 GMT

[quote]it is probable that the universe is teeming with beings just like us.
I'm not sure if that is a scary thought or if it's
something to be celebrated. [/quote]

Ironically, both the notions of humanity as a solo venture or members of a grand cosmic community are equally profound and humbling.

The galaxy next door

G. Behrend — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:03:08 GMT

War or Space folks. Make up your minds. They are the only roads that lead to advancement in technology.

One of them will kill us off though. I'll leave the guess as to which for you...

The galaxy next door

John Hull, Wyoming — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 00:24:19 GMT

What a masterpiece God has created!

The galaxy next door

Richard Corey, Boston, MA — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 15:24:04 GMT

What a masterpice Zeus has created!

The galaxy next door

Tom Davis, San Antonio, TX — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 14:57:23 GMT

Carl Sagan once presented the topic of other life in the universe, which went about the same way that Henry Eckstien's comments went earleir. However, he also added two other factor, both having to do with time. One was the number of civilizations that advanced far enough into the Atomic age but had the wisdom not to blow themselves away, and the other was the advanced civilizations that might exist at this point in time, assuming that most civilizations will eventually die out for one reason or another. The worst case scenario indicated that there were always at least 4 advanced civilizations in our galaxy at any time. It was a lot more plausable that there would probably be around 400. So, we are not alone....

The galaxy next door

Frank Glover — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 17:05:52 GMT

Pat Robertson operates on faith, of which there are many. They can't all be right, ant it's possible (even if one or more deities do exist) that none of them are. Science operates on that which can be observed (not always by direct human senses) or logically inferred. A good scientist, espically on the fringes of theoretical physics will tell you that anything beyond that is Philosophy.

I don't understand Kevin. Is (or was) there life of any kind other than this planet, and has (or did) any of it reach the point of intelligence/sentience? And of those, how many went on do develop technology? (Some intelligences may be physically incapable of technology, as may be the case with dolphins.)

'Oneness' doesn't answer that.

Check this for more on galactic collisions:
http://www.universetoday.com/2006/06/05/colliding-galaxies-simulated/

The galaxy next door

Ken, Madison Hgts. Mi. — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 13:51:22 GMT

I see a lot of questions about other life out there and I see a lot of statements for or against God.

If there is no God, other life out there matters none at all because we will never reach it. If it does ever come here it matters none at all if they keep themselves secret from us. For in either case we can learn nothing from it.

If God does exist (which is where I believe) He may very well have put life on other planets. But he does not want us worrying about it when we have our own lives to get in order.

I love astronomy. I believe there is a lot to learn from it. But whether or not there is life out there, I dont think that is so important. We need to focus on what will help us, not what might be a great fantasy.

The galaxy next door

Frank Glover — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 03:37:08 GMT

Why should the existence (or not) of God, render the question of intelligent life elsewhere unimportant?

Why should it have any bearing on wether any ETs capable of coming here would conceal themselves?

Why should we not wonder about the existence of such intelligences as our (possibly God-given) curiosity demands? Yes, we have other problems. If we disregard SETI, then which of those problems are more important than others? (Does eliminating hunger 'wait' for curing cancer, for example?) Are we a civilization that cannot 'walk and chew gum' simultaneously?

We'll indeed not know if the existence of intelligent life elsewhere is a speculative fantasy (although I consider it to be one of the most profound questions of all human history, right up there with wether, or not, a deity[ies] exists, but more easily falsifiable), if we do not even stop to look.

The galaxy next door

Ken, Madison Hgts. Mi. — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 14:12:04 GMT

My point was that I just think too much attention is placed into whether or not life exists on other planets. Especially since it would very very likely be in another solar system if it did exist. In my opinion, what ever the answer really is, it will not help us or make any other difference to us here on earth.

Sure we are a society that can walk and chew gum at the same time. But there are certain things that are more important than other things. If my kids are hungry, do I spend money to go to a movie? There are so many things that need more money to take care of and we spend so much on researching other galaxies and looking for life in other worlds. If someone can explain to me why spending so much on counting how many stars are in a galaxy millions of light years away would help us here on earth I will see things differently. If we dont fix whats wrong with our world here, this planet wont last until the galaxies collide anyway.

My other point was simply that if one is going to spend the time wondering about life on other planets, why does the existance of God have to be brought up? I dont see where one really has much to do with the other. Whether ther is life out there or not will have neffect on if there is a God or not. I myself am a Christian and am always willing to talk about it. But if the subject is about life on other planets I am not going to try and use it to prove the existance of God and I dont think others should use it to try to give God a black eye. If the question is about life on other planets, lets keep it there. If the subject is about how life got there then we can talk about Gods existance.

By the way. When Andromeda and the Milky Way collide? I plan on being there. I am starting to stuff myself with twinkies as I write this. I figure there are enough preservatives in those to keep me well past then. Hey I think their shelf life is longer than that. lol

The galaxy next door

Robert E. Cobb, Alton, MO — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 19:37:53 GMT

Fundamental to realizing the full potential of humankind in the age of cosmic genealogy on Earth, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) precedes and ultimately coalesces all life-centered cosmologies, notably reciprocal life propagation and interplanetary/intergalactic communication.

The cosmic community of intelligent life defined by member experience mutually aggregated, shared and communicated within boundaries of observable universes (and beyond through the overlapping of observable universes) is Universal testament to cosmic forelaws of empathy and compassion seated within the genome of all intelligent life.

The age of cosmic genealogy on Earth, more pronounced in modern times due largely to pioneering research and progress in astrobiology and astronomy led by Sir Fred Hoyle, by Chandra Wickramasinghe, Brig Klyce, and Halton Arp, owes its genesis to landmark work of Louis Pasteur in 1859 disproving spontaneous generation.

SETI - vanguard of life-centered cosmologies - highlights the commonality of all intelligent life whose observable universes (and life-centered cosmologies) overlap . . . . . and overlap . . . . . and overlap . . . . . from infinity to infinity.

www.geocities.com/CosmicGenealogy/SETI.html

In forelawsship,

Robert E. Cobb