More Things In Heaven and Earth

[qos]

Did you know that sometimes galaxies collide?
I didn't. That didn't stop me from using the idea as the basis for my personal myth saga.
When I found out, 20-some years later, that galaxies do collide, I was stunned.

But they do.
See ---









Are those within these star systems aware of the cosmic collision? Or are the distances involved so vast, and the dance so slow, that it will take generations for anyone to realize that the sky is changing, that the stars aren't where they used to be? Which societies are becoming neighbors as the heavens move? Will it make any difference to them? Will they ever know each other?

And if they do discover each other, because of unprecedented proximity, what will it mean to them?


Thanks to iswari for posting a photo of Saturn today, and lifting my thoughts to the stars.

Colliding galaxies photos from Astronomy Picture of the Day.

Comments

[quietearthling.livejournal.com]

I always wondered about that, too.

I wondered - what would happen if an entire solar system would 'detach' from one galazy and attach itself to another? Or better yet, a planet dramatically change orbits and attach itself to a solar system in another galaxy (assuming that it had inhabitants who could survive the cataclysms associated with that kind of cosmic leap).

What would it mean to them to wake up to a differeng gravity every morning, and see a strange sky every night?

Then again, I'm weird when it comes to space stuff :-)

[qos.livejournal.com]

I always wondered about that, too.

In the 28 years that I have cherished this scenario, you are the first person to say that.

Have I mentioned recently how very glad I am to have met you?