Spiral galaxy in Andromeda
At a distance of over 2 million light years, the Andromeda Galaxy is one of the most distant objects that can be seen without optical aid. This galaxy is not hard to see from any fairly dark location on autumn and winter evenings, appearing as a faint oval cloud, larger in its apparent size than the full Moon. This is the closest spiral galaxy to us, and it is larger than the Milky Way Galaxy in which we live. According to recent estimates, the Andromeda Galaxy may contain as many as a trillion stars.
Only the central portions of the galaxy are seen in this photograph; its spiral arms extend well beyond the edges of the frame. A wide-field view shows the full extent of this impressive galaxy.
| Magnitude | 4.2 |
| Apparent Size | 178' x 63' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 2.3 million |
| Right Ascension | 0:42.7 |
| Declination | +41 16 |
| Field of View | 35' x 27' |
Image details: Exposure times of 32 minutes luminance and 24 minutes each of red, green and blue, taken with an an SBIG STF-8300M imager and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/45.2.