Andromeda–Milky Way collision

The Andromeda–Milky Way collision is a future event where our galaxy, the Milky Way, will merge with the nearby galaxy Andromeda. Occurring in about 4.5 billion years, this cosmic encounter involves galaxies gradually drawn together by gravity. Over millions of years, their stars will interact, collide, and reorganize, ultimately forming a larger, elliptical galaxy. Despite the dramatic name, individual stars are unlikely to collide due to vast spaces between them. This process reshapes galaxy structures, but it unfolds on timescales much longer than a human lifetime, highlighting the dynamic and evolving nature of our universe.