The Orbiting and Colliding Galaxies 3D Model is a three-dimensional extension of the Alar and Juri Toomres' 1972 supercomputer model of colliding galaxies. This model assumes that galactic centers are point masses and the orbiting stars do not interact with each other (the galactic cores interact with each other and the individual stars). Unlike the Toomres' model (and the Colliding Galaxies model by Christian and Lim), both galactic cores begin with a compliment of stars orbiting their respective cores. These stars start in a 3-D circular orbit about the center of each galaxy in one plane. When the two galaxies pass each other they produce the long spiraling tails.
The Orbiting and Colliding Galaxies Model was developed as a final project in a sophomore-level Computational Physics course (Phy 200) using the Easy Java Simulations (EJS) modeling tool. It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive. Double clicking the ejs_comp_phys_colliding_galaxies3d.jar file will run the program if Java is installed.
Please note that this resource requires
at least version 1.5 of Java (JRE).
Poster Presentation
Physics 200 poster presented during the 2011 Davidson College student research symposium. download 532kb .pdf
Published: June 15, 2011
The Mice: Colliding Galaxies in 3D
This is a special case of the Orbiting and Colliding Galaxies 3D Model with initial conditions specifically set to mimic The Mice. download 1105kb .jar
Published: June 15, 2011
previous versions
Colliding and Orbiting Galaxies 3D Source Code
The source code zip archive contains an XML representation of the Colliding and Orbiting Galaxies 3D Model. Unzip this archive in your Ejs workspace to compile and run this model using Ejs. download 79kb .zip
Published: June 15, 2011
previous versions
R. Mitchell, Computer Program ORBITING AND COLLIDING GALAXIES 3D MODEL (2011), WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11246&DocID=2286).
R. Mitchell, Computer Program ORBITING AND COLLIDING GALAXIES 3D MODEL (2011), <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11246&DocID=2286>.
Mitchell, R. (2011). Orbiting and Colliding Galaxies 3D Model [Computer software]. Retrieved May 13, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11246&DocID=2286
Mitchell, Robbie. "Orbiting and Colliding Galaxies 3D Model." https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11246&DocID=2286 (accessed 13 May 2025).
%A Robbie Mitchell %T Orbiting and Colliding Galaxies 3D Model %D June 15, 2011 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11246&DocID=2286 %O application/java
%0 Computer Program %A Mitchell, Robbie %D June 15, 2011 %T Orbiting and Colliding Galaxies 3D Model %8 June 15, 2011 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11246&DocID=2286
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Orbiting and Colliding Galaxies 3D Model is the three dimensional version of the Colliding Galaxies Model. The Orbiting and Colliding Galaxies 3D Model also has stars around both galactic cores.
The Easy Java Simulations Modeling and Authoring Tool is needed to explore the computational model used in the Orbiting and Colliding Galaxies 3D Model.
3 supplemental documents are available
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