Messier 51, Whirlpool Galaxy

2008-05-28, Luminance

 

100 %

Image data

Photographer:Jürgen Stöger
Optics:Celestron 11 @ f/8 (main)
Orion ED 80 (guide)
Mount:Fornax 51
Cameras:Atik16HR (main)
Starlight SXV-M7 (guide)
Exposure:Lum=65 minutes
Conditions:hazy sky, very low transparency through dusty and bright night during visit of Viktor and Christian
Moon:Moon below horizon
Location:Katzelsdorf
Date: 28 May 2008
Remarks:image processing together with Stefan

M 51 object information

RA: 13h29m53s
Dec: +47° 11′ 43″
Size: 10.8 x 6.6 ‘
App.mag.: 8.4 mag
Distance: 23 million light years

The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a, M51a, and NGC 5194, is an interactinggrand-designspiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2active 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.

IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine (Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)