Often referred to as twins, the Milky Way and the nearby galaxy Andromeda have a similar spiral shape, size, and mass. What’s more, Andromeda appears as unperturbed as the Milky Way. But a new image unveiled this week belies that serene portrait. The most detailed visible-light picture ever taken of the heavens reveals that Andromeda was walloped by an intruder galaxy much more recently than the Milky Way was.
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