# Galactic pile-up! Astronomers discover a cluster of 14 colliding galaxies **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 27, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/galactic-pile-up-astronomers-discover-a-cluster-of-14-colliding-galaxies/813196 "2018-04-27T00:02:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/galactic-pile-up-astronomers-discover-a-cluster-of-14-colliding-galaxies/813196/1 "2018-04-27T00:02:33Z")
The ALMA telescope in Chile has revealed that a smudge of light originally spotted in 2010 is actually a cluster of 14 galaxies, which will eventually merge and become the largest structure in the universe. From [Science Daily](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180425131848.htm): > [@](#): > > For the first time, astronomers have witnessed the birth of a colossal cluster of galaxies. Their observations reveal at least 14 galaxies packed into an area only four times the diameter of the Milky Way’s galactic disk. Computer simulations of the galaxies predict that over time the cluster will assemble into one of the most massive structures in the modern universe, the astronomers report in the April 26 issue of _Nature_. Pretty cool. This [USA Today article](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/04/26/distant-galaxies-merge-biggest-structure-universe/554276002/) features an “artist impression” of the cluster, in which the galaxies are depicted in contrasting attractive colors. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2018, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/galactic-pile-up-astronomers-discover-a-cluster-of-14-colliding-galaxies/813196/2 "2018-04-27T05:52:11Z")
They’re not “colliding”, they’re trying to invent astrorugby. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2018, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/galactic-pile-up-astronomers-discover-a-cluster-of-14-colliding-galaxies/813196/3 "2018-04-27T12:39:03Z")
Of course the kicker is that we are seeing light from this event from 12.4 billion years ago, so everything has already happened and evolved from there; we just have to stick around another few billion years to see what’s already happened… ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/galactic-pile-up-astronomers-discover-a-cluster-of-14-colliding-galaxies/813196/4 "2018-04-27T15:13:49Z")
What terrible intersection design. Must be a new roundabout. > [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > Of course the kicker is that we are seeing light from this event from 12.4 billion years ago, so everything has already happened and evolved from there; we just have to stick around another few billion years to see what’s already happened… I assume the insurance claims are in by now. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/galactic-pile-up-astronomers-discover-a-cluster-of-14-colliding-galaxies/813196/5 "2018-04-27T20:40:49Z")
This just in: President Trump states that he is already expanding the Milky Way into a galaxy waaaayyyy huger than that one. He is quoted as saying, “Believe him.” ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/galactic-pile-up-astronomers-discover-a-cluster-of-14-colliding-galaxies/813196/6 "2018-04-29T02:20:58Z")
I kinda want to say that the most massive object in the universe is really YOUR MOM, but I think XKCD might have already made that joke. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/galactic-pile-up-astronomers-discover-a-cluster-of-14-colliding-galaxies/813196/7 "2018-04-30T06:39:03Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > Of course the kicker is that we are seeing light from this event from 12.4 billion years ago, so everything has already happened and evolved from there; we just have to stick around another few billion years to see what’s already happened… > [@gnoitall](#): > > I assume the insurance claims are in by now. :dubious: The check should be going out next week.