Object:	M51: Whirlpool Galaxy in Ursa Major RA = 13h 29 min 53 sec; Dec = +47 deg 11 min
Date & Site:	Imaged on 04/15/2012 Runningman Observatory, Carlsbad, CA
Equipment:	Telescope: Celestron C9.25 at F6.3 FL= 1480mm Mount: Losmandy G-11 with Gemini; Antares .63 reducer Camera: ST-10XME; CFW10 with Astrodon filters
Notes:	Exposures: 80 min lum (10 min subs) First light for the C9.25 OTA FOV = 34 x 22 arc minutes M51 is an example of an interacting galaxy, shown here with NGC5195 (smaller galaxy to left) . Recent supernova data place M51 at 23 million light years distant. Recent simulations bear out that M51's spiral structure was caused by NGC 5195 passing through the main disk of M51 about 500 to 600 million years ago. Back to Images