The universe contains more than 200 billion galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of suns and planets. Yet most people can name only one. The most famous: Andromeda!

One reason for its renown is its fortunate overhead position each autumn. Probably another attraction is its mellifluous title. The galaxy M87 is bigger while Centaurus A is more mysterious. But none have the euphonious appeal of Andromeda, a name too lovely to forget.

Andromeda is also the nearest spiral galaxy and, quite oddly, the largest in this region of the universe. But its greatest draw may simply be that it’s the only galaxy visible to the unaided eye.

Astronauts traveling fast enough to touch the moon in just three days would require 500 billion years to reach Andromeda. But when we see its image in photos, see

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