The anticipated collision between the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy is now considered highly improbable, according to a new study published in Nature Astronomy. This revised prediction is based on an analysis of data from the Gaia space telescope, which has mapped the Milky Way with unprecedented precision.

The study indicates that there is only a 2% chance of a collision between the two galaxies within the next five billion years. Researchers conducted approximately 100,000 simulations of the Milky Way’s future, taking into account the influence of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring galaxy.

Previously, the collision with Andromeda was considered inevitable, with the merger of the two galaxies into a new elliptical galaxy, dubbed “Milkdromeda” or “Milkomeda,” expected to drastically alter the night sky and potentially eject the sun from the new system.

While a collision would have significant cosmic consequences, individual stars would not collide due to the vast distances between them. However, the gravitational forces released during the merger could have posed risks to the solar system, though life on Earth might not have been directly affected, barring unforeseen encounters with other cosmic objects.

The updated analysis suggests that these catastrophic scenarios are now unlikely, rendering the long-term cosmic calendar adjustments previously considered unnecessary. However, the sun is expected to enter its “red giant” phase in about five billion years, rendering Earth uninhabitable regardless of any potential galactic collision.