Fire ball in the sky 4/7/09

BTW: the 'colliding galaxies' are around 400 million light-years away. That's 400 million times 5.9 trillion miles (one LY) away.

The Colliding Spiral Galaxies of Arp 274
Credit: NASA, ESA, M. Livio (STScI) and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Explanation: Two galaxies are squaring off in Virgo and here are the latest pictures. When two galaxies collide, the stars that compose them usually do not. This is because galaxies are mostly empty space and, however bright, stars only take up only a small fraction of that space. But during the collision, one galaxy can rip the other apart gravitationally, and dust and gas common to both galaxies does collide. If the two galaxies merge, black holes that likely resided in each galaxy center may eventually merge. Because the distances are so large, the whole thing takes place in slow motion -- over hundreds of millions of years. Besides the two large spiral galaxies, a smaller third galaxy is visible on the far left of the above image of Arp 274, also known as NGC 5679. Arp 274 spans about 200,000 light years across and lies about 400 million light years away toward the constellation of Virgo.

Photo at link:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap090407.html

101 posted on 04/08/2009 12:29:59 PM PDT by ETL (ALL the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)

To: GQuagmire; darkwing104; Arrowhead1952; rabscuttle385

102 posted on 04/08/2009 4:01:43 PM PDT by Old Sarge ("Remember, remember, the Fourth of November, the Socialist treason and plot...")

To: gemmeg; Old Sarge; darkwing104; 50mm; darkangel82; mysterio

I am curious if it is these galaxies colliding I have heard about? or possibly something with the talk of missiles being fired?

103 posted on 04/08/2009 4:25:17 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" Â—Patrick Henry)

To: gemmeg; Old Sarge; darkwing104; Arrowhead1952; rabscuttle385

104 posted on 04/08/2009 4:29:35 PM PDT by GQuagmire (Who is EveningStar?)

To: gemmeg; Old Sarge

This could be hugh!!!

105 posted on 04/08/2009 4:46:34 PM PDT by darkwing104 (Lets get dangerous)

To: darkwing104; Old Sarge; GQuagmire

This could be hugh!!!

Well, it was a hugh fireball, fareball, fureball, foreball or what ever. I think it is vey series two!

106 posted on 04/09/2009 6:29:13 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (It took almost 250 years to make the USA great and 30 days for "The Failure" BO to tear it down.)

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