Now we have to find out how big andromeda is: on the image below count how many complete (more than 50% full) square arc minutes it takes up.

Image credit: Bill Schoening, Vanessa Harvey/REU program/NOAO/AURA/NSF

Each square on the above picture is a 5 by 5 arc minute square.

If you take the number of stars you worked out for each arc minute for andromeda and times it by the number of arc minutes that andromeda takes up you should get you estimate for the number of stars in andromeda.

Enter the values you got in the boxes below

Number of star in 1 square arc minute of the star field
number of arc minutes that andromeda takes up

 

Total number of stars in andromeda
=
number of stars in 1 square arc minute of star field
x
4,000,000
x
number of arc minute that andromeda takes up

 

       
Previous Next
REF: G0114

Galaxies

Back to the top