"Galactic Merger May Reveal Destiny of Milky Way and Andromeda"
Astronomers have captured an image of the aftermath of a merger between two spiral galaxies, NGC 7727, revealing swirling bands of interstellar dust and gas. The galaxy contains twin galactic nuclei, each housing a supermassive black hole, and is predicted to eventually become an elliptical galaxy composed of older stars and little star formation. This merger provides insights into the possible fate of the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies when they merge in billions of years, forming an even more massive black hole and dispersing gravitational waves.