Evidence Of A Galactic Collision

Andromeda (with it's dwarf galaxies around it)



Here is some new information just published in "Nature", about our closest galaxy Andromeda. Lots of bumping around has been going on way out here in our galactic neighborhood!

Andromeda is the closest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way, located around 2.4 million light years away in the constellation Andromeda. It is surrounded by over two dozen satellite galaxies, one of which is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy named Andromeda II, which is less than one percent of the size of the Milky Way. - See more at: www.iflscience.com...

source www.iflscience.com...

Nature article www.nature.com...


Cosmic Pancake Spotted Around Andromeda Galaxywww.foxnews.com...

Dwarf satellite galaxies are thought to be remnants of the material that came together to form the giant galaxies they surround. While it makes sense that a disk of such dwarfs might emerge early after they formed, after a few orbits these dwarfs should veer off and live relatively independently, dispersing the disk in the process.

"Mystery" : This is related to other studies that are being pondered about our own "milky way galaxy"

Other mysteries abound regarding this new discovery. For instance, this disk of dwarves appears tilted at about a 50-degree angle in relation to Andromeda's disk. It is unknown why that is.
Intriguingly, the Milky Way's pole apparently lines up with Andromeda's disk of dwarf galaxies. It remains unclear why that is as well.

Lots of action out in the void of space 2.4 million light years away!! "one light year", is about 6 trillion miles!! and this study is looking at our closest galaxy to us that's 2.4 million times 6 trillion miles... blows my mind lol!!

RUFFREADY

Lots of action out in the void of space 2.4 million light years away!! "one light year", is about 6 trillion miles!! and this study is looking at our closest galaxy to us that's 2.4 million times 6 trillion miles... blows my mind lol!!

Yeah that is far, but in about 4 billion years, it won't be so far away. Cool thread though. I love studying deep space.

reply to post by Krazysh0t


Yeah!! Me too!! Cool mind blowing space!! I added the link to NATURE article above just now... has the full info!! Thanks!!



Andromeda Galaxy




Andromeda Galaxy

en.wikipedia.org
The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth in the …

en.wikipedia.org
.Age: 9 billion years
Number of stars: 1 trillion
Apparent magnitude: 3.44
Apparent mass: 1.23 trillion solar-mass
Galactic group: Local Group
Constellation: Andromeda

How to Find the Andromeda Galaxy

The Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M31 or as the Great Spiral Galaxy[1], is one of the most distant objects that the unaided human eye can see; it lies over 2.2 to 3 million light years away.[2] Locating it the first time is a little tricky, but once you find it, it's hard to ever lose it again.
Note: The best time for finding the Andromeda galaxy is between August through late March, so if you're experiencing difficulties locating it, bookmark this page and try again later. Also, be aware that this is easier to find from the northern hemisphere than from the southern hemisphere.

www.wikihow.com...

I remember when you could see it with your naked eye. (when I was a kid at camp in Califorina)

RUFFREADY
...Lots of action out in the void of space 2.4 million light years away!! "one light year", is about 6 trillion miles!! and this study is looking at our closest galaxy to us that's 2.4 million times 6 trillion miles... blows my mind lol!!

Personally, I find it mind blowing that it is ONLY 2.4 million light years away. Just think about all of the stars and potential planets is both the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxies...

...and then consider that the Milky Way and Andromeda are just a "tiny tiny tiny" portion of the known universe.

There could be (and almost surely is) intelligent life in some distant galaxy 5 billion light years away who may not even know the Milky way and Andromeda galaxies exist -- or if they do know, we are just two anonymous run-of-the-mill galaxies lost among the billions they know about.

RUFFREADY
How to Find the Andromeda Galaxy
www.wikihow.com...

I remember when you could see it with your naked eye. (when I was a kid at camp in Califorina)

I can still see it with my naked eye on clear moonless nights (I live about 5 miles from a small-to-medium-sized city, but the area of the sky that Andromeda is in is sometimes in the other direction away from the city lights, so the sky is much darker in that direction).

For example, I was out with my dog (doing his "business" for the last time of the night ) a few weeks or so ago, looking up at the stars and noticing Cassiopeia, and I decided to pass the time waiting for my dog by finding Andromeda, as I have done other times in the past (or I just stargaze in general). I know where it is, so I can usually spot it if there is no Moon and the air is dry/clean.

I do find, however, that it is somehow easier to see if I am not looking directly at it, but rather a bit to the side. If I look slightly away, but keep that area in my field of view, I can see Andromeda as a small and dim blurry blob. However, when I try to look directly at it, I find it is almost impossible to see.

reply to post by Soylent Green Is People


Yes, that's how I find it where I live. Using Cassiopeia, but with Binoculars. It looks like a dim cotton ball (not perfectly round). It's so
crazy when looking at it, I'm thinking jeezz that thing is over 2 million lys away...

I've also seen it through 8" to 14" telescopes when in astronomy II while in college., and other galaxies and clusters etc..
when I lived in California up in the mountains) pretty awesome.

Soylent Green Is People
I do find, however, that it is somehow easier to see if I am not looking directly at it, but rather a bit to the side. If I look slightly away, but keep that area in my field of view, I can see Andromeda as a small and dim blurry blob. However, when I try to look directly at it, I find it is almost impossible to see.

All good astronomers use that trick. It's because when you look directly at something, you use the colour sensors of your eyes. When you don't look directly at a star, the star reaches the brightness sensors of your eyes, and thus you get a picture with more contrast. COngrats on discovering this little trick! It's really handy when watching the Pleiades, too.