Andromeda Galaxy Gallery

Andromeda galaxy

Andromeda galaxy (M31), optical image. Thegalaxy comprises a central nucleus surrounded byspiral arms. The nucleus appears more yellow thanthe spiral arms as it contains a higher proportionof dust and older, redder stars. Two smallsatellite galaxies are associated with Andromeda, M32 (NGC 221), the fuzzy blob at lower right, andM110 (NGC 205), the bright star-like pointimmediately left of Andromeda's nucleus. TheAndromeda galaxy is the closest major galaxy toour own Milky Way, lying just over two millionlight years away. It is also about half as largeagain as the Milky Way, with a span of over150, 000 light years. The galaxy takes its namefrom the constellation Andromeda, in which is itfound

© Robert Gendler/Science Photo Library

Maffei I and II galaxies

Maffei I and II galaxies. North is at top. Maffei I (red, centre right) is an elliptical galaxy, Maffei II (centre left) is classified as a barred spiral. Both are thought to be around 8 to 10 million light years from Earth. They are part of a group (the Maffei I Group) that comprises some 20 galaxies. This group is thought to be a subgroup of the Local Group of galaxies, the group that contains our Milky Way. The group is thought to have been flung away from the Local Group after an interaction with the Andromeda galaxy (not seen). These two galaxies lie in the plane of the Milky Way, and are thus obscured by dust. They were only discovered in 1968. Photographed by the 1.22-metre Oschin Telescope at Mount Palomar, California, USA

© DAVIDE DE MARTIN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY