In roughly 4 billion years, our home Milky Way galaxy may collide with the neighboring Andromeda galaxy. In slightly over half of the simulated scenarios, Andromeda and the Milky Way experience at least one close encounter before they lose enough orbital energy to collide and merge. Three simulations showing Milky Way and Andromeda bypass at 1 million light year separation. Now, there is a chance that we could avoid this fate entirely.”[ Related: A terrifying fate may lurk inside the Milky Way. ] Until now we thought this was the fate that awaited our Milky Way galaxy.