Galaxy Collisions in Three Dimension

Original Basic program by Michael C. Schroeder
and Neil F. Comins.
Web Version by James M. Curran

What is this?

The program on the next page plots the effect of two galaxies colliding. One (the Target galaxy) is a disk, like our Milky Way. The other (the Intruder galaxy) is drawn just as a ball. The simulation shows the Gravitational interactions between the two galaxies.

How does it work?

The page starts with the simulation set to plot a collision that will result in the forming of a ring galaxy. To view it, just click the "Start" button, and let it play. You can stop the display with the Pause button.

Or you could adjust the parameters of the simulation. The adjustable setting are the number of stars in the disk (number of stars per ring, and number of ring); the initial position, velocity and mass (as a percentage of the target) of the intruder galaxy. After changing the parameters, click Reset.

Note - The more stars that are being plotted, the slower the simulation becomes. The default configuration of 50 stars takes about 4 seconds per update. While running, it may take a few seconds to respond to the Pause button.

Where do we go from here?

Choose your version....

	Uses VBScript, DHTML, and the IE4's Structure Graphics control. Requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0. (Apparently IE5 doesn't work, either) Click Here.
	Uses Java --- (coming soon)

Who gets the credit?

These were derived from a GW-BASIC program by Michael C. Schroeder and Neil F. Comins, and the accompanying magazine article "Galactic Collisions on Your Computer", first published in the December 1988 issue of Astronomy Magazine. The VBScript version is a fairly direct port of the original code, and can be viewed by asking your browser to "View/Source". The Java version, internally, deviates somewhat more from the original code.