M51

The grand-design spiral galaxy

Messier 51: The Whirlpool Galaxy

Located approximately 31 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici, Messier 51 is one of the most iconic "grand-design" spiral galaxies in the night sky. Also known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, it is famous for its well-defined spiral arms and its dramatic gravitational interaction with the smaller companion galaxy, NGC 5195, which is slowly drifting behind it.

Exposure Details: HaLRGB 180:220:180:180:180 minutes

Image Credits

  • Capture/Data: Keith Allred

  • Workflow Guide: Adam Block

  • Processing: Me

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