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Rolf's Astrophotography
  • An Astrophotography Journey!
  • Clusters
    • Globular Clusters
      • M13 – Hercules Cluster
    • Open Clusters
      • M45 – The Pleiades
  • Galaxies
    • Elliptical Galaxies
      • Markarian’s Chain with M84, M86, and M87
    • Irregular Galaxies
    • Spiral Galaxies
      • M31 – Andromeda Galaxy
      • M33 – Triangulum Galaxy
      • M51 – Whirlpool Galaxy
      • M64 – Black Eye Galaxy
      • M81 – Bodes Galaxy
      • NGC 4565 (C38) – Needle Galaxy
  • Nebulas
    • Dark Nebulas
      • IC 434 – Horsehead Nebula
    • Emission Nebulas
      • IC 1805 – Heart Nebula
      • IC 1848 – Soul Nebula
      • IC 405 – Flaming Star Nebula
      • M42 – Orion Nebula
      • NGC 2237 – Rosette Nebula
      • NGC 6888 – Crescent Nebula
      • NGC 7000 – North America Nebula
      • Sadr and the Gamma Cygni Nebula (IC 1318)
    • Planetary Nebulas
      • M27 – Dumbbell Nebula
      • M57 – Ring Nebula
    • Reflection Nebulas
      • M78
      • NGC 7023 – Iris Nebula
    • Supernova Remnants
      • M1 – Crab Nebula
  • Solar System
    • Comets
    • The Moon
    • Jupiter
    • Mars
    • Saturn
  • The Gear
    • APO107 Configuration Example
    • APO94 Configuration Example
    • MN190 Configuration Example
    • RC8″ Configuration Example
Rolf's Astrophotography

M51 – Whirlpool Galaxy

The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a, M51a, and NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. Its distance is estimated to be between 15 and 35 million light-years.

The pronounced spiral structure of the Whirlpool Galaxy is believed to be the result of the close interaction between it and its companion galaxy NGC 5195, which may have passed through the main disk of M51 about 500 to 600 million years ago. In this proposed scenario, NGC 5195 came from behind M51 through the disk towards the observer and made another disk crossing as recently as 50 to 100 million years ago until it is where we observe it to be now, slightly behind M51.

M51 Whirlpool galaxy
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a, M51a, and NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. Its distance is estimated to be between 15 and 35 million light-years. The pronounced spiral structure of the Whirlpool Galaxy is believed to be the result of the close interaction between it and its companion galaxy NGC 5195, which may have passed through the main disk of M51 about 500 to 600 million years ago. In this proposed scenario, NGC 5195 came from behind M51 through the disk towards the observer and made another disk crossing as recently as 50 to 100 million years ago until it is where we observe it to be now, slightly behind M51. Photographed with APO107 refractor telescope with Nikon D800 camera in Åva, March 2018
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a, M51a, and NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. Its distance is estimated to be between 15 and 35 million light-years. The pronounced spiral structure of the Whirlpool Galaxy is believed to be the result of the close interaction between it and its companion galaxy NGC 5195, which may have passed through the main disk of M51 about 500 to 600 million years ago. In this proposed scenario, NGC 5195 came from behind M51 through the disk towards the observer and made another disk crossing as recently as 50 to 100 million years ago until it is where we observe it to be now, slightly behind M51. Photographed with APO107 refractor telescope with Nikon D800 camera in Åva, March 2018
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
M51, Whirlpool galaxy photographed in Åva, March 2019 with APO107 refractor telescope and Atik 360EX CCD camera. 28 minutes of total exposure per RGB channel.
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
M51 Whirlpool galaxy photographed in Stuvsta in April 2016 with 9.25″ CPC 925 reflector telescope and Nikon D800 camera. 22 exposures at 45s.
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a, M51a, and NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. Its distance is estimated to be between 15 and 35 million light-years. The pronounced spiral structure of the Whirlpool Galaxy is believed to be the result of the close interaction between it and its companion galaxy NGC 5195, which may have passed through the main disk of M51 about 500 to 600 million years ago. In this proposed scenario, NGC 5195 came from behind M51 through the disk towards the observer and made another disk crossing as recently as 50 to 100 million years ago until it is where we observe it to be now, slightly behind M51. Photographed with MN190 reflector telescope and Atik 360EX CCD camera in Åva, March 2020. 20min of each RGB channel, Ha 32min, and lum 38min.
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
M51 Whirlpool galaxy
The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a, M51a, and NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. Its distance is estimated to be between 15 and 35 million light-years. The galaxy and its companion, NGC 5195,are easily observed by amateur astronomers, and the two galaxies may be seen with binoculars. A black hole, surrounded by a ring of dust, is thought to exist at the heart of the spiral. The dust ring stands almost perpendicular to the relatively flat spiral nebula. A secondary ring crosses the primary ring on a different axis, a phenomenon that is contrary to expectations. A pair of ionization cones extend from the axis of the main dust ring. Photographed with RC8″ reflector telescope and ASI 2600MC color camera in Stuvsta, February 2023. 41*3min exposure with IDAS LPS D2 filter.
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