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zankaon
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Why is the closing velocity of Andromeda and our galaxy so high? 100-140 kms^-1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_(astronomy)"
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zankaon said:Why is the closing velocity of Andromeda and our galaxy so high? 100-140 kms^-1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_(astronomy)"
Andromeda is a spiral galaxy located approximately 2.5 million light years away from Earth, while our galaxy (the Milky Way) is a spiral galaxy located about 100,000 light years away. Andromeda is also larger than the Milky Way, with a diameter of around 220,000 light years compared to the Milky Way's diameter of 100,000 light years.
Andromeda is estimated to contain around 1 trillion stars, compared to the Milky Way's estimated 200-400 billion stars.
Yes, it is predicted that in about 4.5 billion years, Andromeda and the Milky Way will collide and merge into one larger galaxy. However, this is a slow process and it is unlikely to have a significant impact on Earth or our solar system.
Yes, Andromeda is one of the few galaxies that is visible to the naked eye under dark skies. It appears as a small fuzzy patch of light and is best viewed in the fall and winter months in the northern hemisphere.
Yes, Andromeda is part of a group of galaxies known as the Local Group, which also includes the Milky Way and several smaller galaxies. Some of the other galaxies in this group, such as the Triangulum Galaxy and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, can also be seen with the naked eye.