The Andromeda Galaxy
The Andromeda Galaxy, also known as Messier 31 or M31 is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth. It is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way and was often referred to as the Great Andromeda Nebula in older texts. It is so bright that it is easily seen by naked eye as a faint fuzzy patch of light in the northern part of Andromeda constellation named after the mythological princess Andromeda. Being approximately 220,000 light years across, it is the largest galaxy of the Local Group, which also contains the Milky Way, the Triangulum Galaxy, and about 44 other smaller galaxies. Our galaxy, The Milky Way and Andromeda are expected to collide in 3.75 billion years, eventually merging to form a giant spiral or disk form galaxy. Imaged by me from Negev Desert in Israel.
Michael Kalika, Israel, Rishon Le-Tzion
