Colliding galaxies happen more often than previous estimates suggests according to recent study by astronomers.

In a study led by Jennifer Lotz of the Space Telescope Science Institute collisions between dwarf and massive galaxies in the universe happen three times more often than encounters between two big galaxies. The study, published in the Astrophysical Journal, analyzed galaxy interactions at different distances based on Hubble Space Telescope images and computer simulations.

Finding the galaxy merger rate could help scientists measure a galaxy evolution.

"Having an accurate value for the merger rate is critical because galactic collisions may be a key process that drives galaxy assembly, rapid star formation at early times, and the accretion of gas onto central supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies," Jennifer Lotz of the Space Telescope Science Institute and study leader, said in a press release.

Lotz and her team used computer simulations of possible galaxy collision scenarios and then compared them to Hubble images of galaxy interactions.

"When we applied what we learned from the simulations to the Hubble surveys in our study, we derived much more consistent results," Lotz said in a statement.

Click "START" for some of the stunning images of colliding galaxies the Hubble Space Telescope captured.

NASA