A galaxy merger combines two or more galaxies into a remnant. Their orbital angular momentum and energy are redistributed into internal stellar and halo motions, escaping matter, and, when present, dissipative gas. A bound pair produced by tidal capture of galaxies need not coalesce immediately.
A galaxy merger is an event in which two or more galaxies collide and interact with each other due to their gravitational forces. This phenomenon can lead to a variety of outcomes depending on factors such as the sizes, masses, and types of the merging galaxies, as well as their relative velocities. During a galaxy merger, the structures and dynamics of the galaxies involved can be significantly altered.
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