Messier 51 is an interacting spiral galaxy in the constellation of Canes Venatici. It lies at a distance of approximately 23 million light years and is about 76,000 light years across.
The pronounced spiral structure of the Whirlpool Galaxy is believed to be the result of the close interaction between it and its companion galaxy NGC 5195, which may have passed through the main disk of M51 about 500 to 600 million years ago. In this proposed scenario, NGC 5195 came from behind M51 through the disk towards the observer and made another disk crossing as recently as 50 to 100 million years ago until it is where we observe it to be now, slightly behind M51.
Three supernovae have been observed in the Whirlpool Galaxy – 1994, 2005 and 2011.
Luminance: 25 frames, 240s, -20C, 1×1 bin, high gain
RGB: 15 frames each, 120s, -20C, 2×2 bin, low gain
Processing: PixInsight
Taken 26 March 2019
Orion Optics AG12 and QSI683 camera with Baader LRGB filters