| The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest member of our local group of galaxies. It is nearly 2.5 million LY away, extends 200 LY across, and boasts a total of 300 billion stars. Recent measurements indicate that Andromeda will collide with our Milky Way Galaxy sometime in the distant future. Companion galaxies M32 and M110 are prominent in the image. The bright star cloud in the lower right hand corner of Andromeda's spiral structure is NGC206. |
| Date: | August 20, 2006 |
| Optics: | Orion 80mm Apo Refractor - f/7.5 - Baader IR Filter |
| Camera: | Canon Digital Rebel 300D / Modified (Hap Griffin) |
| Exposure: | 80 Minutes / 16x300s @ 800ASA |
| Guiding: | Manually guided on a 14" Meade LX200 |
| Location: | Skyhawk Observatory, West Bend, WI |
| Photo By: | Rick Kazmierski |
