Difference between revisions of "Andromeda galaxy"
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(It does not 'appear to be' 2.5 million light years away. Its distance has been determined by *three* completly independant methods, and they all say 2.5 million light years.) |
(Three methods enumerated and more percise distance) |
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The '''Andromeda Galaxy''' is a [[Spiral Galaxy]] similar to the [[Milky Way]], and situated within the same [[Galactic Cluster]]. | The '''Andromeda Galaxy''' is a [[Spiral Galaxy]] similar to the [[Milky Way]], and situated within the same [[Galactic Cluster]]. | ||
| − | It is situated about 2. | + | It is situated about 2.51 ± 0.13 million light years from the Milky Way. |
| + | |||
| + | The number 2.51 million light years has been reached through three separate methods for determining the distance to an astronomical object. | ||
| + | # [[Cepheid variable]]s | ||
| + | # Eclipsing [[binary star]]<ref>http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005ApJ...635L..37R</ref> | ||
| + | # Measurement of brightness of individual stars and comparing to the distance to the Magellanic Clouds | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | <references/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Astronomy]] | ||
Revision as of 20:38, May 10, 2007
The Andromeda Galaxy is a Spiral Galaxy similar to the Milky Way, and situated within the same Galactic Cluster.
It is situated about 2.51 ± 0.13 million light years from the Milky Way.
The number 2.51 million light years has been reached through three separate methods for determining the distance to an astronomical object.
- Cepheid variables
- Eclipsing binary star[1]
- Measurement of brightness of individual stars and comparing to the distance to the Magellanic Clouds