Visible Light View of the Spiral Galaxy M51 ("Whirlpool Galaxy")

Spitzer_ssc2004-19a1_1024

spitzer_ssc2004-19a1 November 5th, 2004

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Kennicutt (Univ. of Arizona)

This visible light view of the spiral galaxy M51 comes from the Kitt Peak National Observatory 2.1m telescope, and measures 9.9 by 13.7 arcminutes (north up). A four-color composite, the visible light image shows emissions from 0.4 to 0.7 microns, including the H-alpha nebular feature (red in the image).

The targeted galaxy is known by various names: M51 from its Messier catalog designation, and also as NGC 5194. M51 was one of the original discoveries of Charles Messier, found in October 1773 while he was observing a faint comet. The Messier catalogue of galaxies is named after him. Colloquially, M51 is also known as the "Whirlpool Galaxy", or "Rosse's Galaxy," after Lord Rosse, who first detected galaxy spiral structure in his observations of M51. The companion, NGC 5195, was discovered in 1781 by Pierre Mechain.

The Whirlpool galaxy is a favorite target for amateur and professional astronomers, alike, and was the first light target for the Infrared Space Observatory. Found in the constellation Canes Venatici, M51 is 37 million light-years away..

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1322-ssc2004-19a1-Visible-Light-View-of-the-Spiral-Galaxy-M51-Whirlpool-Galaxy-

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Whirlpool Galaxy M51 Messier 51 NGC 5194 NGC 5195
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Grouping > Pair
Galaxy > Type > Spiral
Galaxy > Type > Interacting

Distance

Universescale2
37,000,000 light years
Spitzer_ssc2004-19a1_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 13h 29m 52.6s
DEC = 47° 12’ 13.0”
Orientation
North is 0.3° CCW
Field of View
9.9 x 13.6 arcminutes
Constellation
Canes Venatici

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue KPNO-2.1m Optical (B-band) 440.0 nm
Green KPNO-2.1m Optical (V-band) 550.0 nm
Magenta KPNO-2.1m Optical (H-alpha) 656.0 nm
Red KPNO-2.1m Optical (R-band) 700.0 nm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Green
Magenta
Red
Spitzer_ssc2004-19a1_1280
×
ID
ssc2004-19a1
Subject Category
C.5.5.1.   C.5.1.1.   C.5.1.7.  
Subject Name
Whirlpool Galaxy, M51, Messier 51, NGC 5194, NGC 5195
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Kennicutt (Univ. of Arizona)
Release Date
2004-11-05
Lightyears
37,000,000
Redshift
0.002000
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1322-ssc2004-19a1-Visible-Light-View-of-the-Spiral-Galaxy-M51-Whirlpool-Galaxy-
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Distance taken from fast facts and NED
Facility
KPNO 2.1m, KPNO 2.1m, KPNO 2.1m, KPNO 2.1m
Instrument
Color Assignment
Blue, Green, Magenta, Red
Band
Optical, Optical, Optical, Optical
Bandpass
B-band, V-band, H-alpha, R-band
Central Wavelength
440, 550, 656, 700
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
202.46912658715081, 47.203606280587245
Reference Dimension
1551.0, 2142.0
Reference Pixel
776.5, 1072
Scale
-0.000105978, 0.000105978
Rotation
0.3
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Spitzer Space Telescope
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2004-19a1.tif
Metadata Date
2012-07-31
Metadata Version
1.1
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
37,000,000 light years

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