M51, Whirlpool Galaxy
The spiral galaxy M51, (the Whirlpool Galaxy) observed with the ODI camera on the WIYN telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory, May 2013. Even though the galaxy is almost 30 million light years away, the image clearly shows clusters of young, hot stars that light up the spiral arms. Threaded through the arms are dark “dust lanes”, where sooty material left over from previous generations of stars has settled. More dust lanes can be seen in the bridge of luminous stars and gas that connects Messier 51 to its companion, the peculiar galaxy NGC 5195, in the upper part of the image. For more details, and an alternate version of this image, see NOAO press release 1309.
Credit:K. Rhode, M. Young and WIYN/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/
About the Image
Id: | noao1309a |
Type: | Observation |
Release date: | July 25, 2013 |
Related releases: | noao1309 |
Size: | 8000 x 7450 px |
About the Object
Name: | M51, Whirlpool Galaxy |
Constellation: | Canes Venatici |
Category: | Galaxies |
Image Formats
Large JPEG
3.8 MB
Publication TIFF 4K
9.5 MB
Publication JPEG
1.1 MB
Screensize JPEG
105.8 KB
Wallpapers
1024x768
107.2 KB
1280x1024
157.9 KB
1600x1200
215.6 KB
1920x1200
253.6 KB
2048x1536
2.0 MB
Coordinates
Position (RA): | 13 29 53.29 |
Position (Dec): | 47° 24' 8.13" |
Field of view: | 33.22 x 30.98 arcminutes |
Orientation: | North is 0.4° right of vertical |
Colors & filters
Band | Tele-scope |
---|---|
WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope ODI |