Coliding Galaxies: A Highly Ordered Event?

[revo74]

Many people, especially layman's would consider this to be a very chaotic event, however, isn't this really not true. From my understanding the astronomical structures within the galaxies actually do not crash/collide into each other. From an astrophysics standpoint isn't such an event a highly ordered one and not chaotic? Please elaborate.

 

[Bill_K]

If the collision is a glancing one, the main effect will be tidal deformation, with stars and other material pulled out into long tails. If the collision is more penetrating, while most of the individual stars may not collide, gas clouds do collide, producing X-rays and an intense burst of star formation. Supernovas. If the collision is direct, the two central black holes may collide.
Get me outta here!

 

[redwood973]

I seem to recall reading somewhere (a few years ago) that our Milky Way is currently colliding with a "mini-galaxy."

If I recall correctly, it was not of sufficent mass to affect our galaxy but the mini-galaxy would be "gobbled up" (I think was the term the article used) by our own.

 

[redwood973]

Here we go, I found the article. It's the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy we're bumping into:

http://www.universetoday.com/22828/milky-way-collision/" .

Sorry for the added post, I thought I had hit the "edit" button of my previous post.

I kind of like "Milkomeda" for the name of our future galaxy. Only 5 billion years away, better start preparing!

 

[FtlIsAwesome]

I kind of like "Milkomeda" for the name of our future galaxy.

Cool. I never thought of that.
But then, what about Androway?

Only 5 billion years away, better start preparing!

Hop on a matter-antimatter relativistic rocket and travel to the future. It'll probably still be a long time though.

 

[FtlIsAwesome]

Seems like there's lots of videos on YouTube of various different Milky Way-Andromeda collision scenarios.

There's also one of a four galaxy collision, which I believe is hypothetical. Though its only in low-quality.

I wonder what free programs one can use to simulate a galaxy collision?
At least one of the YouTube videos was made with a program called Universe Sandbox, though the advanced features are only unlocked when you buy the premium version.