public Sprite getSpriteCollision(Ship ship) {

        // run through the list of Sprites
        LinkedList <Sprite> sprites = map.getSprites();
        for (int i = 0; i < sprites.size(); i++) {
            Sprite otherSprite = (Sprite)sprites.get(i);
            if (isCollision(ship, otherSprite)) {
                // collision found, return the Sprite
                return otherSprite;
            }
        }

        // no collision found
        return null;
    }