M31     The Andromeda Galaxy in Andromeda (NGC 224)

        Object type:             Spiral Galaxy

        Distance from Earth:      2,500,000 light years / 77,000 parsecs

        Distance across galaxy:   160,000 light years

        The Great Galaxy in Andromeda is the largest galaxy in the Local Group
        which includes our Galaxy, the Milky Way.  M31 contains over 300 
        billion suns.  We see it nearly edge on - from our viewpoint it is 
        tilted at an angle of 13.  It is the farthest object visible to the
        naked eye.  M31 can be seen without optical aid from sites away from
        city lights when the Moon is below the horizon.  With a telescope,
        the two satellite galaxies NGC205 and M32 can be seen in the same
        field (and are shown in the picture at left center and bottom right).

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