Question:
Are the galaxies moving around something?
furqan m
2011-08-25 00:46:02 UTC
What is the theory that explains why new galaxies are forming?

And what is the theory that explains where all of the galaxies are moving?
Are galaxies moving or are they stationary?
If they are moving then where are they moving?
The entire galaxy, does it have a destination to where it is moving?
Twelve answers:
Mark G
2011-08-25 00:51:18 UTC
Lots of questions



Q:Are the galaxies moving around something?

A: Yes they are moving around either larger galaxies, or the common centre of mass of their super cluster.



Q:What is the theory that explains why new galaxies are forming?

A:Galaxy formation has ended.



Q:And what is the theory that explains where all of the galaxies are moving?

A:Newton's laws



Q:Are galaxies moving or are they stationary?

A: Everything in the universe is moving!



Q: If they are moving then where are they moving?

A:Mostly the are orbiting either another galaxy or a centre of mass.



A:The entire galaxy, does it have a destination to where it is moving?

Q: No really they are just in an orbit
Erica s
2011-08-25 09:45:20 UTC
There seem to be some misapprehensions regarding this subject. Several people have mentioned the center of the Universe. There IS no center of the Universe. The Big Bang is still going on all around us. Movement in the Universe can only be spoken of in relation to other bodies. Our Local Group of galaxies, about 35 of them, are gravitationally tied together, and indeed as someone mentioned, the Andromeda Galaxy will, in several billion years collide with the Milky Way. Galaxies are still being formed, and are still evolving, which we know from observation. It should be born in mind that the time scales are vast, and seeing movement is extremely difficult, though there are ways such as measuring redshift. You ask where are they moving, and we can only answer that they are moving apart. However, it appears that our galaxy along with many others is moving quite rapidly in the direction of the Centaurus Super cluster where there appears to be a gravity anomaly which has been dubbed The Great Attractor. We don't know what it is, but some estimates suggest it has the mass of hundreds of thousands of Milky Ways. People and migrating animals have destinations, but the Universe follows it's own very strict rules.
2011-08-25 08:40:36 UTC
There are many theories as to why new galaxies form. The newest theory is called the New Galaxy Formation Theory. Astrophysicists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have formulated a novel theory that takes issue with the prevailing view on the origin of galaxies. Their research, which was recently published in the journal Nature, concludes that the galaxies primarily formed as a result of intensive cosmic streams of cold gas (mostly hydrogen) and not as a result of galactic mergers. In fact, the scientists say that these mergers “had only limited influence on the cosmological makeup of the universe as we know it.”



The entire universe is constantly moving away, or expanding, from a single central point. The Big Bang theory explains that the universe was once in an extremely hot and dense state that expanded rapidly.



It was determined that space was expanding thanks in part to redshift, a shift in the spectrum that is linked to how far away an object is in our expanding universe. In 1929, Edwin Hubble discovered that the distances to far away galaxies were generally proportional to their redshifts. Hubble's observation was taken to indicate that all very distant galaxies and clusters have an apparent velocity directly away from our vantage point: the farther away, the higher the apparent velocity.



There is a distinction between a redshift in cosmological context as compared to that witnessed when nearby objects exhibit a local Doppler-effect redshift. Rather than cosmological redshifts being a consequence of relative velocities, the photons instead increase in wavelength and redshift because of a feature of the spacetime through which they are traveling that causes space to expand.



Galaxies exist in the vacuum of space. When the universe is said to expand, the matter itself is expanding into the nothingness of space, rather than a destination. The vacuum itself is endless, or so vast that it might as well be considered endless. As we cannot see much of the universe due to our view being obscured by the gas and dust from our own galaxy, we have no real idea what lies beyond our own limited scope. Only time and advancing technology will tell.



Also extending far into deep space is the CfA2 Great Wall and the Sloan Great Wall. They are filaments of supercluster galaxies, and are some of the most expansive things in our known universe. It is not known how far the walls extend due to the plane of the Milky Way galaxy in which Earth is located. The gas and dust from the Milky Way (known as the Zone of Avoidance) obscure the view of astronomers and have so far made it impossible to determine if the wall ends or continues on further than they can currently observe.



Hope that helped!
Mr. Immortel
2011-08-25 08:20:36 UTC
Galaxies are moving around the center of the universe. Since the Milky Way, possibly the entire Local Group, of which the earth is a part may be near the center of the universe that is why all galaxies seem to be moving away in all directions. The universe and everything in it moves and rotates, everything within the universe also revolves around other bodies and structures. The entire galaxy is destined to revolve continuously around the universe within its galactic orbit. One revolution around the universe takes an unbelievable, and until now incalculable, amount of time, astronomical time.
Chris J
2011-08-25 07:53:50 UTC
Ill answer the questions one at a time:

1) There isn't necessarily a single theory on just the formation of galaxies. Galaxies form in a similar fashion to how stars, and planetary systems form. They take matter (mostly Hydrogen) and begin to orbit around a center of mass. in the case of galaxies, this center of mass is almost always a Super massive black hole. As long as excess Hydrogen and other gasses reamin in space, more galaxies (and stars) will form.



2) Again no single theory for WHERE they are all going. the destination is determined on gravity, and dark energy (the acceleration of the Universe.) among other things.



3.) They are moving, very very fast actually.



4.) ALMOST all galaxies are moving AWAY from every other galaxy. May seem hard to think about, but imagine a loaf of bread with raisins in it. as you bake it, the raisins all move away from each other, and the farther away they are, the faster they appear to move.



5.) Our galaxy (or any other galaxy) does not have a predetermined destination. It will depend on many other circumstances. For example, the Andromeda Galaxy is on a collision course with our galaxy. (note I said ALMOST all of them are moving away from us. Andromeda is moving TOWARDS us) When it hits us, and we form a new galaxy, our original motion will have changed, and we will be moving somewhere else until the end of time.
NotSid
2011-08-26 09:16:56 UTC
The universe moves due to an imbalance of 2 forces.



Dark matter and dark energy are constantly fighting keeping things in balance. If one becomes more prevalent such as Dark matter the universe slowly begins to contract and get smaller. The space between stars and planets become less and we all collide.



Many scientist theorize that dark ENERGY is currently occupying more space therefore we believe the universe is very slowly expanding. Which means everything moves away from everything else. The universe itself does not move but rather everything residing inside it.



Fun fact: did you know that millions of anti matter (dark matter) particles are traveling through your body and the earth this very second?
shroud
2011-08-25 07:53:10 UTC
the galaxies are moving outward from a center point where the big bang happen

they are still forming because there is still lot of material out there to make them

their only destination is away from the blast
2011-08-25 07:49:27 UTC
Space is constantly expanding, galaxies are all moving outwards from a central point that which is believed to have been where the big bang might have taken place.
2011-08-25 16:08:16 UTC
Scientists believe that dark energy is pushing the universe apart. This might be the death of the universe because the galaxies will grow cold because they will be so far away.
2011-08-25 07:54:25 UTC
There's a giant singularity (a black hole) that is spewing things out even as it sucks some things in, feeds but also pushes out with the force of the stuff that misses the event horizon and plunges out of orbit of it again, like a vortex at the center of the center, it feeds on and produces the galaxy of stuff all at the same time, oh my god, Jim. It's mind-boggling. Holy Moly. *burp*
S M
2011-08-25 07:49:59 UTC
every galaxy revolves around me. because i am the center of the universe
Sachin
2011-08-25 12:30:57 UTC
no


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