M51: The Whirlpool Galaxy
Explanation:
The Whirlpool Galaxy is a classic spiral galaxy.
At only 23 million
light years distant and fully 65 thousand
light years across,
M51,
also known as
NGC
5194, is one of the brightest and most
picturesque galaxies on the sky.
The smaller galaxy appearing here below and to the left
is well behind
M51,
as can be inferred by the
dust in a
foreground spiral arm blocking light from
this smaller galaxy.
The Whirlpool,
pictured above, is visible with binoculars in the
constellation of
Canes Venaciti.
M51 is a
spiral galaxy of
type Sc and is the dominant member of a
whole group of galaxies.
Astronomers speculate that M51's
spiral structure
is primarily due to its
gravitational interaction
with this smaller galaxy.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
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NASA Official: Jay Norris.
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LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.