Andromeda Galaxy, or M31, is the farthest object visible to the unaided-eye — it is two-and-a-half million light years away. It consists of an estimated one trillion stars (or about twice as many as the Milky Way). Andromeda is visible even in most urban areas, though just as a smudge of light.
Click image for larger version and to learn more.
To find the Andromeda Galaxy on a clear, dark night, first find the constellation Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia is on the opposite side of the North Star from the Big Dipper. Cassiopeia is W shaped (the W could be upside down or sideways). Follow the V on the right of the Cassiopeia W as if it were an arrow. Go 15 degrees in the direction the arrow points (you can determine 15 degrees most easily by extending your arm full length and then stretching your index finger and your pinky; the distance between the fingers will then be about 15 degrees; this works no matter your size). Andromeda Galaxy is just to the right of this point.
And, although it doesn’t mention Andromeda Galaxy, Tonight’s Sky January 2010 is a terrific short narrated animation of this month’s sky.
Added thought. There are possibly 500 billion galaxies. The Milky Way, one of them, has 500 billion stars. Loosely interpreted that means 2,500,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars (500 billion times 500 billion). Surely the odds alone demonstrate that there must be intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. Why would our planet of all the possible planets be the single one? And even if a God created it all, why would there not be beings in God’s image, as some think we are, in a billion (a trillion) different places? I mean, why bother with all that otherwise?