Optical photograph of M31, the Andromeda Galaxy (NGC 224). Located 2. 2 million light years from Earth, M31 is a giant spiral galaxy which dominates t

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Optical photograph of M31, the Andromeda Galaxy (NGC 224). Located 2. 2 million light years from Earth, M31 is a giant spiral galaxy which dominates the \Local Group\" of which our own Milky Way galaxy is a member. Taken through a 500mm lens, the photograph also shows M31's two small companion galaxies: the irregular galaxy NGC 205 is the diffuse blue area above & to the right of M31's centre, while the elliptical galaxy M32 (NGC 221) is the bright & slightly diffuse star-like object directly beneath M31's centre. 20 min. exposure, f/5, Fuji HR1600 film, 4 July, 1984, Anza Oca site."

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Size: 3543px × 5113px
Photo credit: © JOHN SANFORD/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 205, 221, 224, andromeda, astronomy, cosmology, elliptical, galactic, galaxy, image, m31, m32, ngc, optical, photo, science, spiral