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M 51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy
The Galaxy Messier 51, famously known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, stands as an awe-inspiring celestial masterpiece. This captivating spiral galaxy, located approximately 23 million light-years away from Earth, showcases its graceful spiral arms in a mesmerizing dance of stars, gas, and dust.
The Whirlpool Galaxy's remarkable properties include its intricate spiral structure, which is a result of its gravitational interaction with a smaller companion galaxy, NGC 5195. This interaction has sparked the formation of new stars and ignited a burst of starbirth along its spiral arms.
Visible through telescopes and even amateur binoculars, the Whirlpool Galaxy offers a breathtaking view of its core, featuring a bright nucleus surrounded by delicate lanes of dust and star clusters. Its photogenic beauty has made it a favorite target for both professional astronomers and astronomy enthusiasts.
At the heart of the Whirlpool Galaxy lies a supermassive black hole, whose immense gravitational pull shapes the galaxy's central region. Its cosmic allure serves as a reminder of the vast wonders that our universe holds, inviting us to contemplate the mysteries of space and time.
Photographed from Heidelberg, Germany under Bortle 7 conditions.
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Category
Spiral Galaxy (SA(s)bc pec)
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Coordinates
RA 13h 29m 52.7s
DEC +47° 11′ 43″ -
Distance
~23 Million ly
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Apparent Mag
8.4 mag
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Equipment
TS ONTC8 200/800 Astrograph
Skywatcher 10" f/4
Skywatcher AZ-EQ6 GT
QHY 294m pro -
Exposure
L: 101 x 180 s
R: 50 x 180 s
G: 50 x 180 s
B: 32 x 180 s
Total Integration: 11.7 h -
Publication Date
06.03.2023