Unfortunately, the comment form is currently closed. It is often considered the most distant object visible to the naked eye. However, if the sky is reasonably dark, M33 is not too difficult to see with the naked eye. Andromeda Galaxy, also called Andromeda Nebula, (catalogue numbers ngc 224 and M3, large spiral galaxy in the constellation Andromeda, the nearest large galaxy. Andromeda Nebula, also called Andromeda Nebula, (catalogue numbers NGC 224 and M3 , large spiral galaxy in the constellation Andromeda, the nearest large galaxy.
It is easily visible with binoculars and can be seen with the naked eye even when the sky is only moderately dark. It is accompanied by at least 10 satellite galaxies, including M32 and M110 (both visible with binoculars), NGC 185 (discovered by William Herschel), NGC 147 (discovered by Louis d’Arrest), the spheroidal dwarf systems And I, And II, And III and And V, the irregular dwarf system And IV (although it could be a cluster), And VI (known as the Pegasus dwarf) and And VII (known as the Cassiopeia dwarf).
Which is the closest galaxy to the Milky Way?
The elliptical dwarf galaxy Sagittarius is the closest galaxy at a distance of 662,000,000,000,000 km (70,000 light years) from the Sun. The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and its apparent neighbour and relative, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), are conspicuous objects in the Southern Hemisphere sky, although they are no longer the closest galaxies to us. The Milky Way got its current size by gobbling up other galaxies like Canis Major, and it continues to do so today. At 2.5 million light years, it is the most distant object that most of us humans can see with the naked eye.
The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest galaxy in the Local Group, which includes the Milky Way, the Triangulum Galaxy and about 30 other smaller galaxies.
What will happen when the Milky Way and Andromeda collide?
While the Andromeda Galaxy contains about 1 trillion (101 stars) and the Milky Way contains about 300 billion (3×101) stars, the probability of even two stars colliding is vanishingly small because of the vast distances between the stars. The Milky Way will merge with the neighbouring Andromeda galaxy (pictured) in about 10 billion years – slightly later than previously thought. For decades, scientists did not know whether Andromeda and the Milky Way would collide head-on or whether they would glide past each other like star-filled ships in the cosmic night. They were surprised to discover that the halo of the Andromeda Galaxy extends much, much further beyond the visible boundaries of the galaxy than previously known.
What is the largest galaxy in the universe?
Normally, blue-coloured galaxies signal active star formation, while yellow-red hues indicate a pause in the birth of new stars. Scientists believe that the conspicuously empty space around the galaxy indicates that ESO 306-17 absorbed all its neighbouring galaxies years ago, earning it the classification of a fossil group. The largest spiral galaxy in the local universe could earn the nickname “Godzilla Galaxy” because of its truly gigantic size, astronomers say. It is not yet clear whether the galaxy has swallowed smaller satellite galaxies during its lifetime or whether it is slowly accumulating the gas needed to form new stars.
With more than 8,000 galaxies and a mass more than 10 million billion times that of the Sun, the Shapley Supercluster is the largest structure in the local universe, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).
Can you see the Andromeda Galaxy from Earth?
Allow your eyes to adjust to the dim light, and if the night is dark enough, you can use distraction manoeuvres to discover the wider reaches of this fascinating sight. So always make sure there is no moon in the sky to block your view, and that you are observing from the darkest sky available to you. The Andromeda Galaxy is a faint object that is much harder to see when there is light pollution – including the moon. The Andromeda Galaxy is best seen in autumn when it is at its highest in the south around 8pm, but it is visible from the northern hemisphere all year round.
Like the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy has satellite galaxies consisting of over 20 known dwarf galaxies.
