Andromeda Galaxy entering ‘middle age’
Astronomers using Hubble Space Telescope data have mapped star formation in the Andromeda Galaxy, revealing a decline in activity. The findings suggest the galaxy is transitioning into a 'middle-aged' quiescent state.
Why it matters
Understanding the lifecycle of the Andromeda Galaxy helps scientists better model the evolution of massive galaxies, including our own.
Astronomers have used data collected by the Hubble Space Telescope to piece together the clearest yet map of star formation across most of the Andromeda Galaxy over the last 500 million years. The Andromeda is 2-2.5-times wider than the Milky Way, and the two galaxies have a coin-toss’s chance of colliding within the next 10 billion years.
Using their map, the astronomers found that the Andromeda’s star formation rate has been steadily dropping, especially over the last 40 million years. Recent star formation was concentrated in the Galaxy’s ring structures, and that is where the rate is declining most as well.
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