Animation of the Milky Way磗 collision with the Andromeda Galaxy, seen from a planet surface. The Andromeda Galaxy M31 is a spiral galaxy some 2.5 million light years away from Earth in the constellation Andromeda. It is the nearest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way and is the largest galaxy in the Local Group. Velocity measurements have indicated that Andromeda will collide with the Milky Way within a few billion years. This will distort both galaxies and likely lead to a profusion of starbirth.brRestrictions: