The Messier Ten Minute Challenge

M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy in Canes Venatici

Click here for a review of the strengths and weaknesses of the Global Rent-A-Scope operation.

This image was created by median combining 7 x 90 second unfiltered images taken with a Takahashi Epsilon 250 with SBIG ST-8XE CCD. The image has been cut down to be 20 x 20 arc minutes in size.

The famous Whirlpool galaxy Messier 51 ( NGC 5194) is one of the most conspicuous spiral galaxies. The spiral structure is a result of M51's close encounter with its neighbour NGC 5195 during which the gas in M51 was disturbed and compressed resulting in the formation of new stars.

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In collaboration with the Remote Astronomical Society Observatory

Martin Nicholson - Daventry, United Kingdom.

This page was last updated on April 15th 2009.