This is what our galaxy may look like after five billion years
August 11, 2022
The Gemini North telescope installed in Hawaii has released a breathtaking image named "cosmic butterfly" that shows two spiral galaxies that will collide at some point, Space.com reported.
The galaxies, NGC 4568 and NGC 4567, are known as the Butterfly galaxies as their lobes joined together to make them look like a butterfly. Located 60 million light-years away from Earth in the Virgo Cluster. The galaxies are not yet joined but are in the middle of clashing process.
Once the collision occurs, the galaxies will form a brand new elliptical galaxy in around 500 million years, the publication stated citing statement by NOIRLab, which operates the Gemini North telescope.
The image give the scientists a "sneak preview" of how our galaxy, The Milky Way would be like when it crashes into its closest neighbour galaxy Andromeda galaxy.
The collision, said to occur after 5 billion years, will change the look of each galaxy and the solar system including the sun will be possibly flung into a completely different region of the new forming galaxy.
