Difference between revisions of "Andromeda galaxy"
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| − | The '''Andromeda Galaxy''' is a [[ | + | The '''Andromeda Galaxy''' is a [[spiral galaxy]] similar to the [[Milky Way]], and situated within the same [[galactic cluster]] called the [[Local Group]]. |
It is situated about 2.51 ± 0.13 million light years from the Milky Way, and it is on a collision course with us to hit sometime in about 3 to 5 billion years; it is likely to move, 'through' our galaxy, although, since both are mostly empty space, it is unlikely that planets or stars will collide.<ref>http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn7916</ref><ref>http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~dubinski/tflops/tflops/</ref> | It is situated about 2.51 ± 0.13 million light years from the Milky Way, and it is on a collision course with us to hit sometime in about 3 to 5 billion years; it is likely to move, 'through' our galaxy, although, since both are mostly empty space, it is unlikely that planets or stars will collide.<ref>http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn7916</ref><ref>http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~dubinski/tflops/tflops/</ref> | ||
Revision as of 20:56, May 10, 2007
The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy similar to the Milky Way, and situated within the same galactic cluster called the Local Group.
It is situated about 2.51 ± 0.13 million light years from the Milky Way, and it is on a collision course with us to hit sometime in about 3 to 5 billion years; it is likely to move, 'through' our galaxy, although, since both are mostly empty space, it is unlikely that planets or stars will collide.[1][2]
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[3]
- Measurement of brightness of individual stars and comparing to the distance to the Magellanic Clouds