ASTR 102 Lecture 3: Lab Project 3
Document Summary
The pictures show a step by step result of the collision. The result of this collision is the scattering of stars(outwards from the center) in a disc formation. I chose my independent variable to be the magnitude of velocity for an intruding galaxy colliding with another, with the same horizontal trajectory. When velocity is larger, in the -0. 8 and -1. 0 range, the final stage of the galaxy show spiral-like features. At slower velocities the final stage of the galaxy is completely destroyed. When galaxies collide, the target and intruder galaxies form spiral arms due to tidal forces. This is not true for colliding galaxies, as galaxies are comprised of mostly empty space. Though the gravitational interaction between the stars of the galaxies cause distortions within the galaxies, such as shape, orbit, etc as the galaxies collide with higher speeds, the duration of the gravitational interactions between the stars is shorter. Therefore galaxies have the opposite relationship relative to colliding cars.
