Andromeda Galaxy M31 on Aluminum Dibond
M 31· Fine Art Print Hahnemühle · Euganean Hills
- Museum-grade Aluminum Dibond
- Made by WhiteWall in Germany
- 100% guaranteed if damaged
- 75+ year archival quality
The Story
Andromeda is the galaxy closest to ours. "Close," on a cosmic scale, means two and a half million light-years — the light that exposed the sensor of my camera left there when Homo erectus on Earth was learning to control fire. And yet across the entire night sky, with the naked eye, it is the single most distant object a human being can see without instruments: a small oval smudge, barely perceptible, in the constellation Andromeda. When you look at it through a telescope, you know you are observing a trillion stars that, in roughly four billion years, will merge with our own. Our galaxy and theirs are approaching each other at 110 kilometers per second.
Below the main disc, at the bottom, is M110 — a small satellite galaxy gravitationally bound to Andromeda. Above the core, M32, even more compact. These are M31's companions, and they too will be part of the collision. A scene unfolding on timescales our species will never see end, fixed here in a single frame.
What I wanted to tell in this version is the red. I used a narrowband filter to enhance hydrogen alpha — the regions where gas is condensing to form new stars, scattered like beads along the spiral arms. They are active stellar nurseries, each thousands of light-years across. Without that filter, in more "natural" images of Andromeda, these zones blend into the diffuse light of the disc. Here instead they become the visual signature of the image: a ring of stellar birth running along the whole galaxy, simultaneously 2.5 million light-years away and — seen through the light — already happened two and a half million years ago.
I chose to print it because Andromeda deserves the scale. On a screen, even a large one, it remains an image compressed onto a luminous surface. On Baryta cotton paper, in the right format, it becomes something else: the warm-white core pulsing at the center, the arms opening into the black of the sky, the red of hydrogen that physical print renders with a depth backlighting flattens. This is an image that asks for a wall of its own.
Material
Aluminium Dibond — Fuji Crystal Archive · Glossy
A 3 mm aluminium composite panel: two white platinum-coated aluminium sheets enclosing a polyethylene core. The image is laser-exposed onto Fuji Crystal Archive photographic paper, developed with traditional chemistry, then bonded to the panel surface and sealed with a UV-protective glossy laminate. Exceptional colour saturation and contrast — no glass, no frame.
Ready to hang out of the box: a continuous aluminium rail is pre-installed on the back. Panel weight: 1.2 kg (50×70 cm), 3.0 kg (70×100 cm), 4.5 kg (100×150 cm). Archival colour stability rated at 75 years.
Everything you need to know
How it ships, and how long it takes
Production at WhiteWall, Germany, typically completes within 24 hours of your order. Shipping then depends on your destination:
| European Union | 7–10 business days |
| Switzerland | ~12 business days |
| United Kingdom | ~14 business days |
| United States | 2–4 weeks (variable due to customs) |
| Asia & Pacific | 3–5 weeks |
Customs & duties for non-EU orders
For orders shipped outside the European Union, local customs duties, import taxes, and VAT are collected by the carrier upon delivery and paid directly by the recipient.
| UK | VAT 20% + ~£10–20 handling |
| USA | variable tariffs + state sales tax |
| Switzerland | VAT 8.1% + ~CHF 20–30 |
Packaging and what to do on arrival
Fine Art Prints are rolled and shipped in a reinforced acid-free rigid tube with sealed cap. Open the parcel within 48 hours of delivery and check integrity. Handle the print only at the edges, with clean hands.
If damaged in transit: send 3–4 photos to support@sideris.art within 72 hours — free replacement, no return needed.
Print vs Dibond — what's the difference?
Fine Art Print on Hahnemühle Baryta is the gallery-classic option: warm, tactile, framed with glass and acid-free mat. Best for traditional and editorial interiors.
Aluminium Dibond is a 3 mm composite panel with direct HD print, ready to hang with no frame. Best for contemporary, statement-wall interiors with high colour saturation.
How to frame and hang the print
For best results, use:
- An acid-free mat (2–4 mm thick, 5–8 cm margin around the print)
- Anti-reflective or museum glass (filters UV, extends colour life)
- Wood or aluminium frame, internally sized to print + mat
Pre-framed options (Black, Silver, White aluminium) are available above — choose your preferred frame under "Finish".
Returns & the 14-day right of withdrawal
Under EU law, you have the right to return your order within 14 days of delivery, no reason required. Conditions:
- The print must be intact, in its original packaging
- Contact us at support@sideris.art with your order number
- Return shipping is at your expense — tracked courier recommended
- 100% refund of product price within 14 days of receiving the return
For non-EU orders: customs duties already paid are generally not refundable by local tax authorities.
For defective prints: free replacement applies regardless — see "Packaging and arrival" above.
Accepted Payments
