How is the Andromeda galaxy similar to the Milky Way?
The Andromeda galaxy (also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224) could be considered the big brother of the Milky Way, as it contains over a trillion stars (compared to our 200-400 billion), and is approximately 220,000 light years across to our 100,000.
Which galaxy is most similar to the Milky Way?
Andromeda is the closest big galaxy to the Milky Way and is expected to collide with the Milky Way around 4.5 billion years from now. The two will eventually merge into a single new galaxy called Milkdromeda. Looks are similar to an insect’s antennae.
Which galaxy is the closest to our own galaxy?
Distance Information The closest known galaxy to us is the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy, at 236,000,000,000,000,000 km (25,000 light years) from the Sun. The Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy is the next closest , at 662,000,000,000,000,000 km (70,000 light years) from the Sun.
How many galaxies are like the Milky Way?
While estimates among different experts vary, an acceptable range is between 100 billion and 200 billion galaxies, said Mario Livio, an astrophysicist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.
Why will Andromeda collide with Milky Way?
Returning to your question, galaxy collisions happen on relatively small scales in an astronomical sense. The strong gravitational attraction between the Milky Way and Andromeda wins out over the dark energy attempting to drive them apart, and will ultimately cause a collision to occur.
What is the closest galaxy to the Milky Way?
Andromeda The Nearest Galaxy to the Milky Way. The spiral nebula, conjointly called Messier thirty one, M31, or NGC 224, may be a extragalactic nebula just about 780 kiloparsecs (2.5 million light-years) from Earth, and therefore the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way.
How far is the Milky Way galaxy from Earth?
The galaxy is 13.3 billion light-years from Earth and formed 420 million years after the Big Bang. The mini galaxy is less than 600 light-years wide; for comparison, the Milky Way is 150,000 light-years across. Astronomers think MACS0647-JD may eventually combine with other small galaxies to create a larger whole.
What are facts about the Milky Way galaxy?
Milky Way Galaxy Facts. The Milky Way Galaxy is our home galaxy in the universe. It is a fairly typical barred spiral with four major arms in its disk, at least one spur, and a newly discovered outer arm. The galactic centre, which is located about 26,000 light-years from Earth, contains at least one supermassive black hole (called Sagittarius A*),…
What is in the Milky Way?
The Milky Way has a diameter of about 100,000 light years, and is a barred spiral galaxy. The idea that the Milky Way is made of stars goes back to the Ancient Greek philosopher Democritus . The Milky Way has three main parts: a disk, in which the Solar System resides, a bulge at the core, and an all encompassing halo.