[Teacher317]

That appears less like a collision (Things hitting things) than a merger(Things combining).

Just like electrons in atoms, galaxies have SO MUCH empty space in them that even with they occupy the same location, there are very few actual smashing collisions of stars. Or so I've read. I haven't been able to witness too many galaxies passing through each other in my lifetime, sad to say!!

[telescope115]

One CAN see Stephan’s Quintet directly with a big enough telescope, and dark enough skies. I’’ve seen 4 of the 5 through our club’s 18” dobsonian reflector.

What a winning combination of instruments and processes! I’m looking forward to seeing more data from them. I think they’ll be busy for a long time!

[Seruzawa]

Look at it this way. If our sun was the size of a green pea, the nearest star, Proxima Centauri, would be 125 miles away. Two galaxies mergering would result in few direct collisions. However both would be completely distorted with passing stars’ gravity altering all of the orbits.