The Whirlpool Galaxy
The galaxy's massive center, the bright ball of light in the center of the photograph, is about 80 light-years across and has a brightness of about 100 million suns. Astronomers estimate that it is about 400 million years old and has a mass 40 million times larger than our Sun.
Credit:
Nino Panagia ( Space Telescope Science Institute and European Space Agency) and NASA
About the Image
NASA press release
NASA caption
NASA caption
| Id: | opo9617a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 24 April 1996, 06:00 |
| Size: | 201 x 201 px |
About the Object
| Name: | IRAS 13277+4727, M 51, Messier 51, NGC 5194, Whirlpool Galaxy |
| Type: | • Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral • Galaxies Images/Videos |
| Distance: | 25 million light years |
Colours & filters
| Band | Telescope |
| Optical B |
Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 |
| Optical V |
Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 |
| Optical R |
Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 |
