From the January 2009 issue

After the Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies finish merging in a few billion years, what will happen to the other galaxies in the Local Group?

Louis Brechemin, Media, Pennsylvania
By | Published: January 26, 2009 | Last updated on May 18, 2023

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies are predicted to merge, forming a single galactic structure.
  • This merged galaxy will be termed "Milkomeda".
  • Other galaxies within the Local Group are expected to maintain gravitational binding.
  • Milkomeda is anticipated to become the central gravitational influence within the Local Group.
Key takeaways sponsored by The Space Store
As Andromeda and the Milky Way merge into a single object, nicknamed “Milkomeda,” the other galaxies will probably remain bound gravitationally within the Local Group, with Milkomeda at the center.

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