I How can Andromeda collide with the Milky Way?

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Andromeda is set to collide with the Milky Way despite the general expansion of the universe because local gravitational interactions dominate over cosmic expansion at smaller scales. While galaxies billions of light-years apart are receding from each other, Andromeda, located only 2.5 million light-years away, is actually moving towards the Milky Way due to its momentum and gravitational attraction. The misconception that "everything is moving away" often overlooks these local dynamics. Understanding these interactions clarifies why nearby galaxies can still collide despite the overall expansion of the universe. This highlights the importance of distinguishing between local and cosmic scales in astrophysics.
Jur van Oerle
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If everything in the universe is moving away from everything else in the universe, how can Andromeda collide in the distant future with the Milky Way?
 
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Jur van Oerle said:
If everything in the universe is moving away from everything else in the universe...
Because this part isn't true. Locally, galaxies interact with each other.
 
So, what exactly do people mean when they say 'everything is moving away from everything else'?
 
Jur van Oerle said:
So, what exactly do people mean when they say 'everything is moving away from everything else'?
You have to keep in mind the scales. Galaxies at distances of billions of light years away are all moving away from each other at significant speeds due to the expansion of space. However the Andromeda Galaxy is only 2.5 million light years away. The magnitude of its speed away from us that is due to the expansion of space is far smaller than the magnitude of its speed toward us due to its existing momentum and gravitational attraction between the Milky Way and Andromeda.

If someone is telling you that everything includes local galaxies in this case, then they don't know what they're talking about.
 
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Alright, that makes sense.
I think it is my own ignorance, when I watch YouTube channels like Vsauce and MinutePhysics that is what I understand from it.
Thanks for clarifying!
 
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