Andromeda Galaxy. Infrared composite image of spiral Andromeda Galaxy (M31). At a distance of 2.2 million light years, M31 is the closest major galaxy to our Milky Way and a member of our Local Group of galaxies. The nucleus is bright in infrared due to dust and material ejected from old stars. The Andromeda Galaxy has two smaller companion galaxies: M32 (upper right) and M110 (lower centre). This image was made as part of the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) project using ground-based telescopes in the USA and in Chile. 2MASS began in 1997 with the aim of surveying the entire sky using near-infrared.