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Posted by: Andrew Clouther

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These wacky single disk galaxies, am I right people?  For those who don’t know, the Milky Way is a single disk galaxy.  For those who don’t know, the Earth, that place we live (even you), is in the Milky Way.  So if A + B = C, then we live in a single disk galaxy.  Science!

Speaking rocket science, NASA’s super computer Pleiades had spent 1 million CPU hours to simulate the creation and life of a single disk galaxy.  This video simulates 13.5 billion years ago and catches up to present day.  No, the Galaxy doesn’t get destroyed by the end.  Personally, I found it to be quite hypnotizing and beautiful.         

For those trying to figuring out the video below:

• Red – old starts
• White and Bright Blue – young stars
• Pale Blue – gas density
• The view is 300,000 light years across 

It’s still spinning! 

[Gizmodo via YouTube]

Tags: NASA, space, galaxy, super computer, simulation