Size matters – especially when two star-studded realms collide in space

By Peter Spinks
Updated August 16 2015 - 10:13am, first published August 3 2015 - 3:10pm
When worlds collide: Super star clusters in the Antennae Galaxies. Photo: NASA Space Telescope
When worlds collide: Super star clusters in the Antennae Galaxies. Photo: NASA Space Telescope

In roughly 4 billion years from now – about 1 billion years before the sun billows outwards to become a menacing red giant – our Milky Way will smash headlong into its nearest large galactic neighbour, Andromeda.