Jake Parks - Just how big is the Andromeda galaxy?
#AndromedaGalaxy #Andromeda #EscapeVelocity #Astronomy #Astrophysics
Andromeda is more than twice the size of the Milky Way - our galaxy. Our galaxy is about 120,000 light years across, not including the larger halo. At 2,500,000 light years away, Andromeda's larger halo and the Milky Way halo are probably overlapping, making Andromeda the closest galaxy to ours.
As a point of reference, given todays technology, it would take an astronaut and descendants about 3,500 years to cross our galaxy - about 150 generations, longer than recorded human history. It would take about 70,000 years to get to Andromeda.