Chaotic jumble of merging spiral galaxies hints at possible fate of Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies

The swirling arms of a spiral galaxy are among the most recognized features in the cosmos: long sweeping bands spun off from a central core, each brimming with dust, gas, and dazzling pockets of newly formed stars. Yet this opulent figure can warp into a much more bizarre and amorphous shape during a merger with another galaxy. The same sweeping arms are suddenly perturbed into disarray, and two supermassive black holes at their respective centers become entangled in a tidal dance. This is the case of NGC 7727, a peculiar galaxy located in the constellation of Aquarius about 90 million light-years from the Milky Way.