Hubble NICMOS infrared image of M51
This image by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope shows a face-on view of the spiral galaxy M51, dubbed the Whirlpool Galaxy.
Taken in infrared, the image reveals the Whirlpool's skeletal dust structure, as seen in near-infrared light. This new image is the sharpest view of the dense dust in M51. The narrow lanes of dust revealed by Hubble reflect the galaxy's name, the Whirlpool Galaxy, as they appear to swirl towards the galaxy's core.
Credit:About the Image
About the Object
| Name: | M 51, Messier 51, Whirlpool Galaxy |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral |
| Distance: | 25 million light years |
| Constellation: | Canes Venatici |
| Category: | Galaxies |
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 13 29 55.42 |
| Position (Dec): | 47° 11' 44.98" |
| Field of view: | 2.24 x 3.01 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 89.5° left of vertical |
View in ESASky:
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Infrared J | 1.6 μm |
Hubble Space Telescope
NICMOS |