Andromeda, Blea Tarn & the Langdale Pikes

Description

This is one of three photographs that made me a professional photographer.  This is the photograph where I captured my first ever galaxy, and from there I was completely hooked.  Here were have beautiful Blea Tarn with the Langdale Pikes and a sky full of stars. Above the pikes you can see the Winter Milky Way and top left lies our sister galaxy Andromeda.  Andromeda is 2.537 million light years away and contains a trillion stars, 4 times larger than our own galaxy.  In around 3.4 billion years the two galaxies will collide and merge forming yet another type of galaxy.  The distances and numbers are mind boggling and completely blows my mind. I love being out and seeing these sights with  my own eyes. Andromeda is just visible on a dark night if you know where to look.