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The Andromeda Galaxy (M31)

by

Alex Conu/Novapix

Reference

a-gax02-24044

Date

2017-02-07

M31, the Great galaxy in Andromeda, is a gigantic collection of more than 300 billion stars and is located about 2 million light years from Earth. Companion dwarf elliptical galaxies M32 and M110 are also visible. M31 and its companions are part of our local group of galaxies, which includes the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds, and M33. The Andromeda Galaxy is headed towards our Milky Way Galaxy and is expected to collide with it and possibly merge into a gigantic elliptical galaxy in about 3 billion years.