Understanding the formation of the Andromeda system

"A team of astronomers from the UK, the US and Europe have identified a thick stellar disc in the nearby Andromeda galaxy for the first time. The discovery and properties of the thick disc will constrain the dominant physical processes involved in the formation and evolution of large spiral galaxies like our own Milky Way..."

Full story can be found at: http://www.universetoday.com/83315/thick-stellar-disk-isolated-in-andromeda/#more-83315

Trina posted about this very topic right before I managed to but it does not seem to include any links to the original article for those who wish to read further. I found it interesting and relevant to the Galaxy Zoo projects as it deals with spiral galaxies and may contribute to our understanding of their formation.

“Future more detailed observations should enable us to unravel the formation of the disc system in Andromeda, with the potential to apply this understanding to the formation of spiral galaxies throughout the Universe.”