Andromeda galaxy

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. a spiral galaxy, appearing to the naked eye as a fuzzy oval patch in the constellation Andromeda; it is a close neighbor to our own galaxy.

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Andromeda galaxy Cultural  

1. In astronomy, the galaxy nearest to the Milky Way, usually seen as a large collection of stars arranged in a central core with spiral arms. The galaxy was given this name because the stars of the constellation Andromeda appear to enclose it.

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Example Sentences

The most celebrated of these is the grand spiral called the Andromeda galaxy, or Messier 31.

From National Geographic • Aug. 23, 2023

As the Milky Way collides with the Andromeda galaxy in a protracted process that will occur in roughly five billion years, the aftermath is likely to produce a quasar.

From Salon • Apr. 30, 2023

Having found this rich historical evidence, astronomers now aim to explore more stars lying in the outskirts of the Andromeda galaxy.

From Space Scoop • Feb. 28, 2023

About when our wee Milky Way galaxy with its 200 billion stars will collide with the nearby Andromeda galaxy.

From Washington Post • Jan. 28, 2023

It could be reached in about eight years as measured by clocks aboard the ship; the center of the Milky Way, in twenty-one years; M31, the Andromeda galaxy, in twenty-eight years.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan