NASA’s Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer has captured a complete image of the Andromeda Galaxy. This extensive survey provides a unique view of the galaxy’s cool lanes of star formation. The Andromeda Galaxy, located about 2.5 million light-years from Earth, is a significant member of the Local Group, our nearby galaxy collection.
Known also as Messier 31 or M31, it is the closest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way. Another remarkable picture of the Andromeda Galaxy was taken by NASA’s retired Spitzer Space Telescope. This close-up reveals shining infrared dust in exquisite detail.
Andromeda’s star formation revealed
One of the standout images captured by the Spitzer Space Telescope, before its retirement in 2020, elegantly showcases the core of the Andromeda Galaxy. This photograph highlights the intricate structures and stellar formations at the heart of this cosmic neighbor.
These images not only deepen our understanding of the Andromeda Galaxy but also highlight the enduring contributions of NASA’s space telescopes in expanding our astronomical knowledge. The completed mosaic by the Hubble Space Telescope has shown that older stars are more uniformly distributed across the galaxy, while areas of recent star formation are found near its edges. Recent star-forming events were likely triggered by M32, a stripped satellite galaxy of Andromeda.
Major new star-formation episodes are expected to occur in the future when Andromeda merges with the Milky Way, forming what is referred to as “Milkdromeda.”
This monumental effort by the Hubble Space Telescope demonstrates the power of long-term astronomical projects and their ability to significantly enhance our understanding of the universe.