NASA's Swift Observatory's Ultraviolet Data Reveals 20,000 Sources in Andromeda Galaxy

Despite its recent re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, data from NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory continues to yield scientific insights. A new analysis highlights a 24-hour ultraviolet exposure of the Andromeda galaxy (M31) taken by Swift, revealing approximately 20,000 ultraviolet light sources, including thousands of dense, hot star clusters. This data, originally collected in 2008, provides a unique perspective on our closest major galactic neighbor, complementing observations from ground-based telescopes.