This time it looks like they are just talking about the thin outer reaches of the Andromeda galaxy; they seem to think that the disk extends further into interstellar space that they thought previously. If it does, then the same might be true of our own galaxy- and some, or all of the others. Incidentally, when you see the Andromeda galaxy up there in the sky with the naked eye, what you are seeing is just the central hub, the brightest part. The greatest part of the galaxy, including most of the spiral arms, is too dim to see without instruments; the full glory of our sister galaxy is best revealed in photographs of various kinds.
And it's gonna get bigger from our perspective as it gets closer and closer. Wish I was around in a few billion years to see what it looks like in the sky to see a huge galaxy accross the sky!
I have been reading all my life that Andromeda galaxy was bigger than our Galaxy. Though the article says that it was thought that our galaxy was 70000/80000 ly across this is either a blatant lie or a result of a very poor scientific education
Astronomers and cosmologists are finding something new, or a new explanation for something we thought we knew almost every day . REGARDS APOLO
It seems to stem from cannibalisation of satellite systems. The outer parts are just gravitationally locked around the andromeda galaxy. Like wise the SMC and LMC also form a defuse stream that encircles the Milky Way. And, I suppose you could also say that we were also gravitationally bound to the andromeda galaxy as well…forming a double galaxy....
