- #1
Messier 31, also known as the Andromeda Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy located approximately 2.5 million light years away from Earth in the constellation of Andromeda.
Messier 31 has a diameter of approximately 220,000 light years, making it the largest galaxy in our Local Group of galaxies.
Yes, Messier 31 is one of the few galaxies that can be seen with the naked eye under dark sky conditions. It appears as a faint, hazy patch in the night sky.
Messier 31 is considered special because it is the closest galaxy to our Milky Way galaxy and is also the largest galaxy in our Local Group. It is also the most distant object that can be seen with the naked eye.
Messier 31 was first discovered by Persian astronomer Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi in 964 AD. It was later catalogued by French astronomer Charles Messier in 1764, who mistook it for a nebula.