Andromeda: Bigger than we though?

Orca · Post by **Orca** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:20 am

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/01/0 ... index.html

orin stepanek · Post by **orin stepanek** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:36 am

Nice find Orca! I guess that means Andromeda is even closer to the Milky way than first thought.

Orin

BMAONE23 · Post by **BMAONE23** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:58 pm

It might even mean that there could be up to 5 times more visible matter than was previously thought. (or possibly that all galaxies have rural neighborhoods that give them even closer proximities than we thought)

Orca · Post by **Orca** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:41 pm

That actually makes sense...since galaxies rotate as if they are much larger than they appear (the "outer" arms rotating as quickly as the central bulge).

harry · Post by **harry** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 8:10 am

Hello All

I cannot open the above link

What is the distance to andromeda?

Orca · Post by **Orca** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 12:00 pm

Harry, the Andromeda galaxy is about 2x10^19 km away. At least, that's what my physics text book says. And it cost me 150 bucks, so it better be right! Yaarrr!

The question is: is that the distance from our location in the Milky Way to the nearest part of Andromeda? Or is that the center of our galaxy to the center of our neighbor? I mean, it's not as though a galaxy is just a "point."

BMAONE23 · Post by **BMAONE23** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 2:09 pm

Here is a quote from the link:
"Also known as M31, Andromeda is located only about 2.5 million light-years from Earth, making it our nearest galactic neighbor."

Now I don't know weather that is to the edge or the center. But if it is 1MLY diameter, then it could be .5MLY closer than previously thought.

This would place M31 a between cool 2MLY and 2.55MLY away from Earth.

orin stepanek · Post by **orin stepanek** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:04 pm

I wonder how much sooner that will cause the interaction of the Milky Way with Andromeda than was previously thought to be?:lol:
Orin

Doum · Post by **Doum** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:04 pm

I'd say aound 20 % sooner.

Orca · Post by **Orca** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 9:27 pm

I'll free up my calendar...

Doum · Post by **Doum** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:59 am

orin stepanek · Post by **orin stepanek** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:23 pm

I'm going to take pictures!

Orin

harry · Post by **harry** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:01 am

Hello All

I took out my measuring tape and found that it was 2.1 MYrs.

Other than that

Andromeda Galaxy (M31): The Heat Is On in Andromeda's Center
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2006/m31/

Distance Estimate About 2 million light years
Release Date June 05, 2006

Give or take a few feet.

While on this subject >>>>>>>>>>

The Double Nucleus of M31
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap961011.html

Subsequent ground-based observations have led to speculation that indeed two nuclei exist, are moving with respect to each other, that one nucleus is slowly tidally disrupting the other, and that one nucleus may be the remains of smaller galaxy "eaten" by M31

The other theory is that Black holes are formed in the spiral arms and group together to form a larger black hole and by the time it reaches the centre it can have some influence and possible show up as a secondary nuclei. Just a thought.

M31: The Andromeda Galaxy
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap961009.html

M31: The Andromeda Galaxy
Credit: The Electronic Universe Project
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950724.html

Southwest Andromeda
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010917.html

It seems that the distance has been about 2 Myrs for the last 20 years.
Some links have it at 2.5 Myrs

I had a book about 20 yrs ago it had it at 2.1MYrs.