Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)

The Whirlpool Galaxy, known as M51 or NGC 5194, is an iconic spiral galaxy located in the constellation Canes Venatici. It lies about 23 million light-years from Earth and is known for its perfectly formed spiral pattern. Bound gravitationally to M51 is a smaller galaxy, NGC 5195, which significantly influences its structure.

It is precisely the interaction with this companion galaxy that creates the distinct spiral arms and detailed dust structures, making M51 one of the most popular galaxies among both amateur and professional astronomers.

In photographs, you can see not only the core and spiral arms but also a bridge of gas connecting the two galaxies. It is a beautiful example of galactic interaction that occurs constantly on a cosmic scale.

Acquisition

Another galaxy for the collection; I created two photos in total. The first one was earlier (June 29, 2024), where I had little integration time, and it was mostly just to show the family. In the next stage, a bit later (July 6, 2024), I gathered more data, and the galaxy is much more distinct against the background with less noise.