Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31) : The Hungry Galaxy

About Andromeda Galaxy:

General Information:

The Andromeda Galaxy also known as Messier 31 or M31 is the the closest galactic neighborhood of our Milky Galaxy  (2.5 million light-years) and is one of the galaxies that can be seen with naked eyes in the night sky.
Its diameter is approximately 200,000 light-years; and it shares various characteristics with the Milky Way system. The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest galaxy of our local cluster and is about to collide with our Milky Galaxy in about 4.5 billion years and will form a new galaxy named as "Milkomeda Galaxy".

Location:

Messier 31 is located in the constellation Andromeda and is best observed in November. Boasting an apparent magnitude of 3.1, the galaxy can be seen with the naked eye, even in areas with moderate light pollution.
 Most people find the galaxy by star-hopping from the constellation Cassiopeia, which is a very noticeable M- or W-shaped pattern on the sky’s dome. I learned to find the Andromeda galaxy by star-hopping from the Great Square of Pegasus, to the two graceful streams of stars making up the constellation Andromeda.
Look at the chart. It shows both constellations – Cassiopeia and Andromeda – so you can see the galaxy’s location with respect to both. Notice the star Schedar in Cassiopeia. It’s the constellation’s brightest star, and it points to the galaxy.

Milky Way - Andromeda Collision Course:

Andromeda and the Milky Way are heading on a collision course that will alter the structure of the two galaxies forever. The galaxies are rushing closer to one another at about 70 miles per second (112 kilometers per second). Astronomers estimate that Andromeda will collide with the Milky Way in 4.5 billion years.
By that time, the sun will have swollen into a red giant and swallowed up the terrestrial planets.Still, the fresh influx of dust should boost star formation in the new "Milkomeda" galaxy, and the Earth less sun may well leave the Milky Way for good. After a messy phase, where arms project crazily from the combined pair, the two should settle into a smooth elliptical galaxy.

Galaxy collisions are a normal part of the universe's evolution. In fact, both Andromeda and the Milky Way bear signs of having already crashed into other galaxies. Andromeda boasts a large ring of dust in its center, giving it an interesting shape. Astronomers believe this dust may have formed when it swallowed an existing galaxy.

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