Galaxies in Collision

One of Many Reasons Why
the Universe Can Only Be Very, Very Old

by Rod Martin, Jr.

The Love of God, Galaxies: The Mice galaxies colliding

The Mice (NGC 4676), two galaxies suffering the aftermath of near-collision. Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

Some Christian Fundamentalists suggest that the universe is only about 6000 years old. Certainly God could create the universe in an instant. He could even make it look old, but why would He deceive us? I don't think He would. I think he would require that we work harder to understand. That requires that we not be lazy and arrogant. Thinking that we know it all—including the meaning of scripture—blinds us from ever finding new answers; it makes us arrogant. Any unwillingness to dig further for more answers, or to think that the Bible could only be taken literally, is equivalent to laziness. Hard work and humility are required.

The speed and size of galaxies are two facts which point to a very, very old universe. Let me explain.

Galaxies are likened to cities of stars, except that their populations range from ten million to a trillion stars (10,000,000–1,000,000,000,000). Each star is a glowing ball of gas powered by nuclear explosions at their cores. How could a mere ball of gas contain millions of nuclear explosions? You have to realize that each of these spheres is huge. The amount of gas pressing down on the stellar cores weighs more than 10,000 Earths. In fact, our own average star—the Sun—contains about 332,950 times the mass of Earth. And some stars contain up to a hundred times this mass.

Below are several Hubble pictures of galaxies in the aftermaths of collision. Each picture includes features which have been caused by tidal forces between the pairs of galaxies. To say that the universe is very young—perhaps only 6,000 years old—is to say that these features are the products of interactions which never occurred—in other words, a deception! Would God really do that?

Celestial Dance of The Mice

(NASA/HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE)
The image above was captured on April 7, 2002 by the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). These two colliding galaxies, located 300 million light years away in the constellation Coma Berenices, have been nicknamed "The Mice" because of their long tails. These long streams of light consist of billions of stars and gas being pulled from each galaxy by the tidal forces of gravity. Eventually, the two galaxies will merge to become one.
Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

Each Star is a Sun

Every star in the universe likely has planets or planetoids and thus would be like a "sun" to those worlds. And there are likely several sextillion planets in the known universe—for example, 3,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (3×10²¹).

A small percentage of those countless planets may be found at the right distance, possessing the right mass and chemistry, with an atmosphere, allowing it to harbor liquid water and life.

Scientists have already found hundreds of planets, most of which are far too massive and either too close or too far from their sun to support Earth-like life. But a few hundred out of billions in our own moderately large galaxy remain the barest of beginnings.

Artist concept of Kepler-11 star with 3 of its 6 known planets transiting in front of their sun

Artist concept of the star, Kepler-11, with 3 of its 6 known planets transiting in front of their sun. Kepler-11 is a G6V star and about 613 parsecs (~2000 light years) from Earth.

The Gulf Between Stars

The distance between stars is huge. Between our sun and its next-door neighbor, Alpha Centauri, is something like 26 trillion (25,980,000,000,000) miles. If you were able to walk 50 miles in a day, and did this every day for 50 years of your life, you would still need 28 million lifetimes to cover that distance. And that's only to the nearest star to our sun.

That same distance to Alpha Centauri is also measured by the length of time it takes light (radio waves and similar radiation) to travel there. At 186,282 miles per second, it takes light about 4.33 years to make that distance. Light is fast! But still it takes years to cover the gargantuan gulf between stars. Light could travel 7 times around the Earth in one second, if it could be made to curve along the surface. And still, it seems slow when taking an interstellar trip.

We know how bright our sun appears in our daytime sky. Imagine for a moment how far our own sun would have to move away from us in order to shine as a moderately bright star in our night sky. Just as a candle provides sufficient light for reading when up close, at the horizon it remains barely visible if it can be discerned at all.

Galaxies are Huge!

As large as the distance is between stars, try to image how large a galaxy is that has several hundred billion such stars. That's a lot of empty space.

As fast as light is, it would take about 100,000 years for it to cross from one edge of our galaxy to the other. Many galaxies are far smaller than ours, while many in the universe are somewhat larger. The distance from our Earth to the closest Milk Way-sized galaxy (the Great Andromeda galaxy, M31) is more than 2 million light years. Remember, it's about 4 light years from Earth to the closest neighboring star system, Alpha Centauri, and that distance, if you could walk it, might take 28 million lifetimes. If you could walk to the Andromeda galaxy next door, it would take about 57 trillion lifetimes (57 times a million times a million).

Many Pairs of Galaxies have Collided

The Love of God, Galaxies: NGC 6621 and 6622, 100 MY after collision.

Arp 81—NGC 6622 (left) and 6621 (right), 100 million years after collision.
Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

In 2008, NASA released a collection of images to celebrate the 18th anniversary of the Hubble launch. All 59 of the images were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. All 59 were of merging galaxies.

100 Million Years After Collision!

Hubble (Associated Press / April 23, 2008)
Arp 81 (above) consists of a pair of interacting galaxies which stand approximately 300 million light years away in the constellation Draco. NGC 6621 (right), is a very perturbed spiral galaxy and remains the larger of the two. A large, spiralling tail extends from NGC 6621. NGC 6622 (left) and its larger companion collided about 100 million years ago! The bright blue patch between the two appears to be a region of extensive star formation triggered by the earlier collision.
Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

Popping Galaxy!

Hubble (Associated Press / April 23, 2008)
Arp 148, shown in this image, consists of two galaxies in the aftermath of an encounter of the gigantic kind. In fact, it appears that the collision is on-going! This resulted in a ring-shaped galaxy and a companion with a long, drawn-out tail.

Located in the constellation of Ursa Major (the Great Bear), both galaxies stand about 500 million light years away. Scientists explain that "The collision between the two parent galaxies produced a shockwave effect that first drew matter into the center and then caused it to propagate outwards in a ring."
Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

Galaxy pair, Arp 148, suffering an ongoing collision.
Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

The Love of God, Galaxies: NGC 6050 and IC 1179

Collision between NGC 6050 and IC 1179.
Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

Wrestlers in Hercules

Hubble (Associated Press / April 23, 2008)
Here, two spiral galaxies are colliding. The pair is called "Arp 272." Individually, they are called NGC 6050 (left) and IC 1179 (right). Both galaxies stand about 450 million light years away from us in the constellation Hercules.

Both are part of what is called the Hercules Galaxy Cluster—part of the "Great Wall" of clusters and super-clusters (the largest known structure in the entire universe). Both galaxies are linked together by their spiral arms.

Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

Resistance is Futile!

Hubble (Associated Press / April 23, 2008)
This irregular blob, known as IC 1623, is actually two galaxies apparently in the final stages of merging. The largely optically obscured galaxy, VV 114E, is very bright in the infrared indicating that it contains large amounts of warm, dense gas. Similar regions of gas also exist in the region of overlap between the two galaxies. The final stage of the merger should bring a violent influx of gas toward the center which will initiate an incredible amount of starburst activity. This could catapult the infrared brightness beyond the ultraluminous threshold.

Collision of the IC 1623 pair of galaxies.
Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

IC 1623 is located in the constellation Cetus and about 300 million light years away from us.
Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

The Love of God, Galaxies: NGC 2207 and IC 2163

NGC 2207 and IC 2163.
Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

Eaten by a Giant

(NASA/HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE)
NGC 2207 (left) is far larger and much more massive of the two galaxies. The smaller one goes by the catalog number IC 2163. Because of its stronger gravity, tidal forces from NGC 2207 have disfigured its approaching companion, hurling stars and gas into long ribbons toward the right, covering vast stretches of space measuring a hundred thousand light years.

Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

Romantic Pair

Hubble (Associated Press / April 23, 2008)
NGC 5331 consists of a pair of interacting galaxies. They appear to be kissing, or more appropriately, holding arms. A faint, blue flow shows up in this image, trailing to the right of the pair. This is likely a stream of young, hot stars borne out of that interaction.

The pair of galaxies is also very bright in infrared. In fact, the added luminosity in those wavelengths is equivalent to the brightness of our sun times a hundred billion.

This collision is taking place in the constellation Virgo, roughly 450 million light years from us.
Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

The Love of God, Galaxies: NGC 5331 pair of galaxies

NGC 5331 pair of galaxies colliding.
Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

The Love of God, Galaxies: NGC 5754 and 5752

NGC 5754 and 5752.
Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

Big Brother

Hubble (Associated Press / April 23, 2008)
The larger spiral galaxy (NGC 5754) and smaller companion (NGC 5752) shows how two galaxies can react differently to an interaction based on their masses and sizes.
Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

Second Date

Hubble (Associated Press / April 23, 2008)
This image shows two galaxies (NGC 6670) which stand edge-on from our viewpoint and visually overlap because of their closeness and current arrangement. Scientists feel that the pair has already experienced at least one collision and is in the early stages of a second such encounter. The hubs (nuclei) of each galaxy are roughly 50 thousand light years apart.

Located approximately 400 million light years from Earth, the pair emits an infrared glow more than a hundred billion times the brightness of our own sun. Both galaxies are thought to be at the leading edge of a starburst phase.
Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

The Love of God, Galaxies: NGC 6670 pair of galaxies

NGC 6670 pair of galaxies.
Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

The Love of God, Galaxies: VV_340A and B

A pair of galaxies, VV 340A–B colliding.
Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

Cross-wise Collision

Hubble (Associated Press / April 23, 2008)
Arp 302, also known as VV 340A (edge-on) and VV 340B (face-on), is a pair of extremly gas-rich galaxies of the spiral type. Both are in the early stages of gravitational interaction.

Massive amounts of infrared radiation indicate an enormous rate of star formation similar to the most energetic giant star-forming areas of our own galaxy.
Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

Tadpole

(NASA/HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE)
Galaxy UGC 10214 has been nicknamed, "Tadpole," because of its long tail and sizeable head. Unlike the more stately spiral galaxies in so many other regions of the universe (including nearby Andromeda), this spiral has been tortured and distorted by a small, more light-weight, blue intruder (seen in the upper left of the "head").

The Tadpole can be found in the constellation Draco, and roughly 420 million light years from Earth.
Reference: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-hubblegallery,0,5003908.photogallery, retrieved 2010:0406

UGC 10214 and a long tail drawn out into inter-galactic space.
Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

Proof of Great Age?

The Love of God, Galaxies: Analysis of NGC 6621 and 6622

Analysis of NGC 6621 and 6622. Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

Above we see a large, broad tail pulled into an arc around the two galaxies, NGC 6621 and 6622. Because matter cannot move faster than the velocity of light, the billions of stars making up this tail were pulled into this configuration over a period of approximately 100 million years!

The Mice, a pair of galaxies (NGC 4676), remain in the aftermath of a collision which took place millions of years ago. It has taken hundreds of thousands of years for the stars circled in the picture to spill out into the space between the two galaxies.

The Love of God, Galaxies: Analysis of the Mice

Analysis of the Mice (NGC 4676). Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

The Love of God, Galaxies: Analysis of NGC 6670

Analysis of NGC 6670. Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

The vast stretch of space between two galaxies, even when they are this close is far more gigantic than most people can fathom. The space circled in the picture of NGC 6670 covers a distance of many tens of thousands of light years. Even at the blinding speed of 1000 kilometers per second (fast for any star not in the core of a galaxy), it would take 3.5 million years to cover only 10,000 light years.

The immense tail drawn out of the "Tadpole" galaxy extends several hundred thousand light years from the body of the main galaxy, pulled by the compact, bright blue galaxy in the upper left of "tadpole" head. Those billions of stars which make up the tail would have taken millions of years to be drawn into that shape. It remains physically impossible for those stars to have accomplished their current arrangement any faster than this.

Of course, God can do anything. He could rearrange all of the galaxies of the universe in the blink of an eye.

The Love of God, Galaxies: Analysis of UGC 10214

Analysis of UGC 10214 Picture courtesy Hubble Space Telescope.

And He could just as easily have instructed the writing of the Bible in such a fashion that it would require the humility of the reader in order to understand its secrets.

Do you have that humility?

The Bible was not written to make it easy on you. Understanding comes to those who are willing to let go of their preconceived notions. The biblical interpretations on this website are meant to provoke the required humility. Nothing more. Truth cannot come from mortal interpretation. Only the Lord can give you that, but only if you are ready.