Andromeda is the closest large galaxy to our Milky Way galaxy and is located 2.5 million light-years from our sun. It is close enough for telescopes to spy the details of its ringed arms of new stars and hazy blue backbone of older stars.

Also seen in this mosaic image from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer are two satellite galaxies, known as M32, located just a bit above Andromeda to the left of center, and the fuzzy blue M110, located below the center of the great spiral arms. These satellites are the largest of several that are gravitationally bound to Andromeda