3D Plot of Top View of Milky Way and Andromeda System
Keep in mind that there is still considerable question as to the distances, although the angles are probably correct and there should not be an exact mirror image because everything has moved in the past 2.5 million years and the transverse velocities are not well known.
Using a different process, this list of corresponding objects was compiled.
| Real | Mirror Image |
|---|---|
| Milky Way | Andromeda M31 |
| Sagittarius | M32 |
| Large Magellanic Cloud | Triangulum M33 |
| Small Magellanic Cloud | UGC 5560 |
| Barnard's Galaxy | IC 1613 |
| Kowell's Object | Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte |
| Aquarius Dwarf | Pegasus Dwarf |
| Ursa Minor Dwarf | NGC 147 |
| Fornax | NGC 185 |
| Phoenix | Antlia |
| Tucana | UGCA 438 |
This list is a first rough approximation.
Left unlinked on our side are still Carina, Sextans, Sculptor Dwarf, Leo 1, Leo II, IC10 and UGC 10822/DR .
Left to link those with on the other side are M110, IRASO 4547 +00, PGC 63566.1, Leo III, DDO 210 and Pisces Dwarf.
Somewhat farther away, Sextans A, Sextans B and UGC 4115, UGC 3974 appear to be related images of each other.
There is the problem that the National Geographic uses data from the Encyclopedia Britannica™ which is an older terminology that has been replaced. Modern databases list some of the objects under different names or catalog numbers.
The distances to these relatively nearby galaxies vary considerably between different sources. Measuring the distance using parallax does not work beyond the limits of our own galaxy and no one had any reason to search for more accurate distances for these galaxies when there was much more to be discovered at greater distances.
This new model would have tremendous predictive powers but first the transverse velocities of the nearby galaxies would have to be observed much more accurately than is currently being done. A small velocity extended over millions of years would result in significant movement. Once more accurate locations are determined then the velocity vectors for the Andromeda objects could be extended forward by 2.5 million years to see if the two sides came into closer agreement for a mirror image.
The predictive power would include the ability to possibly see objects that are behind the zone of obstruction of the center of the Milky Way.