The Andromeda Galaxy, also known as Messier 31

 

The Andromeda Galaxy, also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224 and originally the Andromeda Nebula, is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth and the nearest large galaxy to the Milky Way.

It is name for the Ethiopian Princess Andromeda who is famous for the story of her rescue from a sea dragon by the Greek Hero Perseus.

 

Distance to Earth: 2.537 million light years

Radius: 110,000 light years

Age: 10.01 billion years

Stars: 1 trillion

 

The constellation is associated with the Andromedids meteor shower (also known as the Bielids), first documented on December 6, 1741 over Russia.