M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy - a photo on Flickriver

M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy

            In the constellation of Canes Venatici but quite close to Ursa Major’s star Alkaid lies the Whirlpool Galaxy, a beautiful interacting grand-design spiral galaxy. It is located at about 31 million light years from us and can be seen during Spring even with binoculars if the sky is dark enough.

Very prominently, this galaxy is interacting with a smaller one - NGC 5195 - the yellowish one on the right. As a result, large tidal tails are formed - those are the faint yellow structures around both galaxies.
Looking closer to M51, dark lanes in the spiral arms can be seen; what are these? They are compressed gas and dust clouds - the raw material for stars. And these new stars being formed are what makes the blue patches seen nearby.

One of amateurs astrophotographers preferred targets, the Whirlpool galaxy is, for sure, an amazing view. I hope you enjoy.

Shot at Santa Susana, Portugal on the 29th and 30th of April, 2022.

IG: @the.cosmic.arena

Technical details:
LUM: 172 x 180s (8h60), BIN1
RGB: 3 x 40 x 180s (6h00), BIN2
Telescope: TS Optics Triplet APO 800/115
Camera: QHYCCD 268M
Mount: Skywatcher AZ EQ5-GT
Filters: Optolong LRGB
Reducer: TSOptics TSFLAT 3’ 0.79x
Acquisition: N.I.N.A.
Processing: Pixinsight, Photoshop
   

Taken on: June 30, 2022

Tags:

#astropic

#astrophotography

#astronomy more »

#nightsky

#qhyccd

#space

#universe

#deepspace

#deepsky

#telescope

#nebula

#stars

#backyardastronomy

#cosmos

#astrofotografia

#galaxy

#longexposure

#night

#amateurastrophotography « less

Sets appears in: • Photos on Explore

Groups appears in: • Astrophotography (Pixinsight Processing) • Universe Today more » • APOD Submissions • in explore • Amateur Astro-Photography • THE IMAGINATIVE CAMERA • Apod GrAG Submission • ARTISTIC EXPRESSION - ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY - By Invitation Only • EXPLORER PHOTOS FROM 2021 AND ALSO OF THE PAST, « less

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