The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains our Solar System.

From Earth, the Milky Way appears as a band because its disk-shaped structure is viewed from within.

The Milky Way is estimated to contain 100 to 400 billion stars and probably at least 100 billion planets.

The Milky Way can be seen as a hazy band of white light some 30 degrees wide arcing across the night sky.

The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth.

It is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way.

The Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy are expected to collide in 4.5 billion years.

By the time the two galaxies collide the surface of the Earth will have already become far too hot for liquid water to exist, ending all terrestrial life; that is currently estimated to occur in about 3.75 billion years.