#m51

[cosmic-perspective]

The Whirlpool Galaxy M51, a grand-design spiral 31 million light-years away. It can be seen interacting with dwarf galaxy NGC 5195, causing lots of star formation in the process.

This galaxy is slightly smaller than our own and can be found just under the first star in the handle of the Dipper: Alkaid.

[cosmonautroger]

M51

[the-maddest-robot]

This is M51, also known as the Whirlpool Galaxy it is a pair a galaxy currently interacting together. If you look at the two arms of the spiral, you will see that the one on the left is somewhat deformed (near the other galaxy) this is due to the gravitational interaction between the two galaxies. Those interaction are also the reason why the left galaxy (NGC 5195) is this irregular. Some of the models have proposed that both galaxies have passed through each other at some point in the past. In the future both galaxie will slowly fuse together, but this will take at least a few hundred million years. Multiple other interacting galaxies also exist, such as the butterfly galaxies or the antenna galaxies.

This photo was supposed to be a test of my new equatorial mount but the result was WAY BETTER than expected so here you go (the post-treatment of the photos is not the best ever but I had to work with a limited amount a data). I will probably post more photos this summer since I now have access to better skys and a better mount than in Munich (If the weather complies).

[eclipticcomet]

m51 (whirlpool galaxy) | 6/29/24 | 16 min

[boanerges20]

Whirlpool Galaxy [M51] Photo: Astro Roadie

[probablyasocialecologist]

With a hypnotic new image released on Tuesday (Aug. 29), the James Webb Space Telescope allows us to gaze within a spiral galaxy floating some 27 million light-years away from Earth. It's a vibrant snapshot representing a realm named M51 (also known as NGC 5194 or the Whirlpool galaxy) that brilliantly captures the rocky relationship this galaxy has with its nearby neighbor, a dwarf galaxy named NGC 5195. It is, in fact, partially because of this galactic interaction that M51 may have such an ornate pattern in the first place. "The gravitational influence of M51's smaller companion is thought to be partially responsible for the stately nature of the galaxy's prominent and distinct spiral arms," the European Space Agency said in a statement about the visual. And on the note of those stunning spiral arms, one intriguing fact about M51 is its winding structure dubs it a "grand-design" galaxy rather than just a standard spiral galaxy. 

[itsfullofstars]

[shaythempronouns]

M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy, and its companion galaxy NGC 5195. Located 23 million light years away in the Canis Venatici constellation, they are one of the most heavily studied pairs of interacting galaxies in the sky.

Captured at a focal length of 1600mm from around six hours of total exposure time at f/8 using an ASI533MM Pro camera and a Ritchey-Chretien telescope.

Exposure breakdown:

R/G/B filters: 12x300s exposures each

Luminance filter: 42x300s exposures

Edited in PixInsight and GIMP.

[moneyisnobject]

"Amplitude"

M51 Concept

[quiltofstars]

The Whirlpool Galaxy, M51 // Rick Veregin

[7hiefence]

M51 (MIRI image) von NASA's James Webb Space Telescope  

[jameswebb-discoveries]

New image of M51 from Webb Telescope released on August 29, 2023.

🚀 Embark on an interstellar journey like never before as we take you on an extraordinary voyage to the heart of the universe. 🌠✨

🔭 The enigmatic grand-design spiral galaxy M51, also known as NGC 5194, has just revealed its captivating beauty in stunning detail through the lens of the James Webb Space Telescope. 📸🌟 Brace yourselves for an awe-inspiring exploration that delves deep into the cosmos, unraveling the cosmic drama of star formation and galactic evolution.

🌠 From the graceful spiral arms that wind through the vastness of space to the mesmerizing interplay of colors that illuminate its core, this image is a true masterpiece. 💫💖

🪐 Join us as we decipher the tales of stellar nurseries, dynamic galactic interactions, and the exquisite dance of light and shadow in M51. 🎉🌌

🌟 Read the Full Article Here

✨ Prepare to be captivated by the universe's hidden wonders, as James Webb opens a window into the cosmos that will leave you breathless. 🌌🔍 #JamesWebb #M51 #CosmicWonders #SpaceExploration #StellarSymphony

[the-maddest-robot]

II took another photo of M51 / the whirlpool galaxy, same camera and same processing of the data, but I used a different (bigger) telescope. Here, using a bigger telescope has two major effects, firstly the image is more ''zoomed in'' since the focal length is longer. Secondly, since the diameter is bigger the maximal (angular) resolution of the image can be increased. This increase in resolution is due to the way the waves of light are diffracted by the aperture of the optical instrument (in short bigger aperture = better resolution). This increase in resolution is one of the reasons professional telescopes have gigantic mirrors and/or use telescope arrays combined with interferometry to increase their maximal angular resolution.

[boanerges20]

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy. Photo: Giuseppe Donaitello.

[sudden-stops-kill]

m51

[itsfullofstars]