Spotting the Andromeda Galaxy: A Guide to Observing Our Celestial Neighbor

The Andromeda Galaxy, the most distant object visible to the naked eye, will be passing almost directly overhead this week. To locate it, find the Great Square of Pegasus and focus binoculars on the star Alpheratz. Move to the star Mirach in Andromeda and then up to a bright star above it, where you will find the "little cloud" of the Andromeda Galaxy. The light from this galaxy has traveled for approximately 2.5 million years to reach us, and it is estimated to be nearly 200,000 light years in diameter. In about 4.5 billion years, Andromeda is expected to collide with our Milky Way galaxy.