What is a galactic collision?

A galactic collision occurs when two galaxies pass close enough to each other that their gravitational interactions cause significant distortions in their shapes and structures. This can lead to the merging of the galaxies over time, resulting in the formation of new stars and potentially triggering bursts of star formation due to the compression of gas and dust. Such events can dramatically alter the dynamics and appearance of the galaxies involved. Notably, the Milky Way is expected to collide with the Andromeda Galaxy in about 4.5 billion years.