What does the barycenter being slightly closer to Andromeda imply about the mass distribution?
Answer
Andromeda has a slightly larger total mass than the Milky Way
The offset of the barycenter, which is slightly favored toward Andromeda, implies that Andromeda's total mass, including its dark matter halo, is slightly more substantial than that of the Milky Way.
Related Questions
What structural description is commonly applied to the overall shape of the Local Group?Which galaxy is identified as the largest and most massive major player within the Local Group?What is the approximate diameter span of the Local Group?What type of galaxies make up the vast majority of the confirmed membership in the Local Group?Where is the mutual center of mass (barycenter) of the Milky Way and Andromeda located?What does the barycenter being slightly closer to Andromeda imply about the mass distribution?What is the expected long-term fate for the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies due to their current movement?At what relative velocity are the Milky Way and Andromeda currently approaching one another?Which theoretical boundary do astronomers use to define where the Local Group ends?What is the approximate mass of the third major player, the Triangulum Galaxy (M33)?What structure immediately contains the Local Group on its outskirts?