Abstract
Let’s take a closer look at the collision process. There are obviously several things that can happen in a collision. First of all, the two galaxies need not penetrate one another; if they pass close enough, tidal forces will disrupt the stars and cause considerable damage. Interestingly, the most damage is done at relatively low speeds. If they pass one another fast enough, few, if any, of the stars will be disturbed. If they penetrate one another, on the other hand, the damage in most cases will be considerable. And, of course, it will be greater yet if they collide head-on.
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© 1990 Barry Parker
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Parker, B. (1990). Merging Galaxies. In: Colliding Galaxies. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3348-5_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3348-5_10
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