🔭 M31 — Andromeda Galaxy

Galaxy in Andromeda

M31, Andromeda Galaxy is a galaxy in the constellation Andromeda, with an apparent magnitude of about 3.4, roughly 2,540 thousand light-years away.

Data

Catalogue designation	M31
Common name	Andromeda Galaxy
Object type	Galaxy
Constellation	Andromeda
NGC / IC	NGC 224
Apparent magnitude	3.4
Distance (approx.)	2,540 thousand light-years

What a galaxy is

A vast, gravitationally-bound system of stars, gas and dust — from small irregular collections to giant spirals containing a trillion suns. Most Messier galaxies are island universes far beyond the Milky Way.

Other Messier objects in Andromeda: M32, M110.

Data: Messier catalogue & IAU constellations, via English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0) · stored statically.