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What Happens?

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What Happens To Stars and Planets?

NOTHING!

The stars in galaxies are so spread out that the chances of stellar collisions are practically zero. During a typical galaxy collision, only a few pairs of stars will collide. The odds that planets collide are even smaller.

Planetary systems are at a bit more risk, because a star moving through can disrupt planetary orbits even if it doesn't hit anything. But the chances of this happening during a galaxy collision are not much greater than they are at other times.

Joshua E. Barnes (barnes@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu)
Last modified: October 27, 2000