Astronomy Picture of the Day

Explanation: Andromeda is the nearest major galaxy to our own Milky Way Galaxy. Our Galaxy is thought to look much like Andromeda. Together these two galaxies dominate the Local Group of galaxies. The diffuse light from Andromeda is caused by the hundreds of billions of stars that compose it. The several distinct stars that surround Andromeda's image are actually stars in our Galaxy that are well in front of the background object. Andromeda is frequently referred to as M31 since it is the 31st object on Messier's list of diffuse sky objects. M31 is so distant it takes about two million years for light to reach us from there. Although visible without aid, the above image of M31 was taken with a small telescope. Much about M31 remains unknown, including how it acquired its unusual double-peaked center.

January February March April May June July August September October November December

<  June 2013   > Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.

Publications with keywords: M 31 - Andromeda galaxy
Publications with words: M 31 - Andromeda galaxy
See also:

• APOD: 2023 November 13 Á Andromeda over the Alps
• The Once and Future Stars of Andromeda
• APOD: 2023 August 23 Á The Meteor and the Galaxy
• NGC 206 and the Star Clouds of Andromeda
• APOD: 2023 March 22 Á M31: The Andromeda Galaxy
• APOD: 2023 January 17 Á Unexpected Clouds Toward the Andromeda Galaxy
• Clouds Around Galaxy Andromeda

All publications on this topic >>