The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)

Known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51 is one of the sky’s most iconic grand-design spirals, located about 31 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici. Its sweeping spiral arms glow with clusters of young blue stars, pink hydrogen clouds, and dark lanes of interstellar dust, all shaped by a long gravitational interaction with its smaller companion galaxy, NGC 5195. Together, the pair form a striking cosmic portrait that has become a favorite target for both professional observatories and backyard astrophotographers.

Captured in extraordinary detail, this view of M51 reveals the turbulent beauty of galactic evolution in progress. Tidal forces between the two galaxies continue to trigger waves of star formation while subtly distorting their structures over millions of years. Although the Whirlpool Galaxy spans roughly 60,000 light-years across, its delicate spiral pattern remains visible even through modest telescopes, offering observers a glimpse into the dynamic processes that shape spiral galaxies throughout the universe.

🔭Evostar 72 ed + 0.85 flattener

⚖️ AZ-GTi guided via Svbony SV165 + ZWO Asi 120 MM mini

📸 ZWO ASI 585 MC Pro (T = -10 ℃)

🔴Baader UV / IR cut 1,25”

🧩 140 x 180s light frames stack + calibration frames

🏙️ Bortle 7 (Lublin suburbs, Poland)

🕹️Raspberry Pi 5 (8 GB/1 TB) (Kstars) + PHD2

�💻 Stacked in Siril. Edited in PixInsight with SetiAstro, RC Astro plugins and Affinity Photo 2.

Copyright: Damian Gorylewski