Nearby Galaxy M51

Wise_wise2010-045e_1024

wise_WISE2010-045E December 14th, 2010

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA

Messier 51, or NGC 5194, is also frequently referred to as the Whirlpool galaxy. The Whirlpool is a "grand design" spiral galaxy. It is interacting with its smaller companion -- NGC 5195, a dwarf galaxy, which can be seen as a bright spot near the tip of the spiral arm extending up and to the right of the larger galaxy. The Whirpool's very bright spiral arms show areas of compressed dust and gas. These arms have been enhanced by the recent encounter with NGC 5195.

Provider: Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

Image Source: /image/wise/WISE2010-045E

Curator: Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Berkeley, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Pulic Domain

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  • Full Size Image (830 x 830)

Image Details Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Whirlpool Nebula • M51 • Messier 51 • NGC 5194 • NGC 5195

Distance Details Distance

Universescale2
23,000,000 light years
Wise_wise2010-045e_128
 

Position Details Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 13h 29m 55.7s
DEC = 47° 13’ 53.0”
Orientation
North is 35.7° CW
Field of View
19.0 x 19.0 arcminutes
Constellation
Canes Venatici

Color Mapping Details Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue WISE Infrared (Near-IR) 3.4 µm
Cyan WISE Infrared (Near-IR) 4.6 µm
Green WISE Infrared (Mid-IR) 12.0 µm
Red WISE Infrared (Mid-IR) 22.0 µm
Spectrum_ir1
Blue
Cyan
Green
Red
Wise_wise2010-045e_1280
×
ID
WISE2010-045E
Subject Category
Subject Name
Whirlpool Nebula, M51, Messier 51, NGC 5194, NGC 5195
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA
Release Date
2010-12-14
Lightyears
23,000,000
Redshift
Reference Url
/image/wise/WISE2010-045E
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
B.5.1.1.; B.5.1.7.
Facility
WISE, WISE, WISE, WISE
Instrument
Color Assignment
Blue, Cyan, Green, Red
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR, Mid-IR, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
3400, 4600, 12000, 22000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
202.482083, 47.231389
Reference Dimension
830, 830
Reference Pixel
445.5, 445.5
Scale
-3.81944439141100e-04, 3.81944439141100e-04
Rotation
-35.7
Coordinate System Projection:
SIN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
URL
http://wise.astro.ucla.edu
Name
Email
outreach@ssl.berkeley.edu
Telephone
Address
7 Gauss Way
City
Berkeley
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
94720
Country
USA
Rights
Pulic Domain
Publisher
Publisher ID
wise
Resource ID
Resource URL
/image/wise/WISE2010-045E
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2011-08-05
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
23,000,000 light years

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