Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Canes Venatici (CVn)  ·  Contains:  IC 4277  ·  IC 4278  ·  M 51  ·  NGC 5194  ·  NGC 5195  ·  Whirlpool Galaxy
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M 51, NGC 5194, NGC 5195 Whirlpool Galaxy, rdhand
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M 51, NGC 5194, NGC 5195 Whirlpool Galaxy

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
M 51, NGC 5194, NGC 5195 Whirlpool Galaxy, rdhand
Powered byPixInsight

M 51, NGC 5194, NGC 5195 Whirlpool Galaxy

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Description

The Whirlpool Galaxy (NGC 5194, M51) is a grand design spiral galaxy. It is interacting with its smaller companion NGC 5195. The galaxies appear face-on when seen from Earth.  They are both about 31 million light-years away from Earth.  NGC 5194 is about 76,900 light-years in diameter.

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M 51, NGC 5194, NGC 5195 Whirlpool Galaxy, rdhand

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Cloudy Nights

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