Key Takeaway
Durham University researchers find cataclysmic direct hit with Gaia Sausage sent Milky Way into its current positionAstronomers have found evidence that the Milky Way was flipped on its side following a direct hit from a wayward galaxy long before the solar system was born. The cataclysmic collision took place about 10bn years ago when the Milky Way was struck head-on…
Published July 21, 2026 · Category: News
Overview
Durham University researchers find cataclysmic direct hit with Gaia Sausage sent Milky Way into its current position
Astronomers have found evidence that the Milky Way was flipped on its side following a direct hit from a wayward galaxy long before the solar system was born.
Details
The cataclysmic collision took place about 10bn years ago when the Milky Way was struck head-on by an incoming dwarf galaxy known – for purely astronomical reasons – as the Gaia Sausage.
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Source
Originally published at www.theguardian.com.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is "Milky Way flipped in collision with dwarf galaxy 10bn years ago, astronomers say" about?+
Durham University researchers find cataclysmic direct hit with Gaia Sausage sent Milky Way into its current positionAstronomers have found evidence that the Milky Way was flipped on its side following a direct hit from a wayward galaxy long before the solar system was born.The cataclysmic collision took place about 10bn years ago when the Milky Way was struck head-on by an incoming dwarf galaxy known – for purely astronomical reasons – as the Gaia Sausage. Continue reading...
Who reported this story?+
This story was reported by The Guardian World.