Intergalactic Distances

Intergalactic distances refer to the vast space between galaxies, which are collections of billions of stars. These distances are so immense that traditional units like miles or kilometers become impractical. Instead, astronomers use units such as light-years—the distance light travels in one year, about 6 trillion miles (9.5 trillion kilometers)—or megaparsecs, which equal over 3 million light-years. For example, our neighboring galaxy, Andromeda, is roughly 2.5 million light-years away. These measurements help scientists understand the scale of the universe and the vast emptiness between galaxy groups.