We're all doomed! Astrophysicists say the Solar System will be DESTROYED by an incoming galaxy (but it won't happen for another 2 billion years)
- Nearby galaxy Andromeda is on a collision course with the Milky Way
- Scientists predict they will collide in approximately eight billion years
- The resulting fallout would fling the solar system into interstellar space
A nearby galaxy is hurtling towards the Milky Way on a collision course that could fling our Solar System into interstellar space.
But astrophysicists at Durham University, UK, said the collision between the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Milky Way will not happen for two billion years.
The collision could occur much earlier than the predicted impact between the Milky Way and another neighbouring galaxy, Andromeda, which scientists say will hit our galaxy in eight billion years.
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Astrophysicists at Durham University, UK, said the collision between the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Milky Way will not happen for two billion years
The catastrophic coming together with the Large Magellanic Cloud could wake up our galaxy's dormant black hole, which would begin devouring surrounding gas and increase in size by up to ten times.
As it feeds, the now-active black hole would throw out high-energy radiation scientists say there is a small chance that the initial collision could send our Solar System hurtling into space.
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Lead author Dr Marius Cautun, a postdoctoral fellow in Durham University's Institute for Computational Cosmology, said: 'While two billion years is an extremely long time compared to a human lifetime, it is a very short time on cosmic timescales.
'The destruction of the Large Magellanic Cloud, as it is devoured by the Milky Way, will wreak havoc with our galaxy, waking up the black hole that lives at its centre and turning our galaxy into an 'active galactic nucleus' or quasar.
'This phenomenon will generate powerful jets of high energy radiation emanating from just outside the black hole.
'While this will not affect our Solar System, there is a small chance that we might not escape unscathed from the collision between the two galaxies which could knock us out of the Milky Way and into interstellar space.'
The collision could occur much earlier than the predicted impact between the Milky Way and another neighbouring galaxy, Andromeda, which scientists say will hit our galaxy in eight billion years
The collision between the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Milky Way could be spectacular, the researchers say.
Co-author Professor Carlos Frenk, Director of the Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham University, said: 'Beautiful as it is, our Universe is constantly evolving, often through violent events like the forthcoming collision with the Large Magellanic Cloud.
'Barring any disasters, like a major disturbance to the Solar System, our descendants, if any, are in for a treat: a spectacular display of cosmic fireworks as the newly awakened supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy reacts by emitting jets of extremely bright energetic radiation.'
The findings are published today in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
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