Design of Galaxy Collisions
TNRTB Archive – Retained for reference information
A new analysis of an ancient galaxy collision demonstrates the fine-tuning necessary to ensure that the Milky Way Galaxy remains conducive to hosting an abundantly habitable planet like Earth. Roughly 210 million years ago, a galaxy with about one-tenth the mass of the Andromeda Galaxy collided nearly head-on with Andromeda. The result of this collision was a substantial disruption of the disk and spiral structure in Andromeda, which consequently diminished the habitability of any planetary system in the galaxy. Interestingly, such collisions provide essential gas to sustain the star formation that maintains the long-standing spiral structures, but collisions with galaxies that are too large cause disruptions like the one observed in Andromeda. In contrast with Andromeda, the Milky Way Galaxy (where Earth resides) shows evidence of enough small collisions to sustain star formation but no large collisions to disrupt the spiral structure. Such fine-tuning comports well with RTB’s creation model, in which a divine Designer works to prepare a suitable habitat for life, particularly humankind.
- D. L. Block et al., “An Almost Head-on Collision as the Origin of Two Off-centre Rings in the Andromeda Galaxy,” Nature 443 (2006): 832-34.
- https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v443/n7113/abs/nature05184.html
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