The galaxy M51, also known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, is a stunning spiral galaxy located approximately 23 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Canes Venatici. What makes M51 particularly captivating is its striking appearance, characterized by its prominent spiral arms and a companion galaxy, NGC 5195, which appears to be interacting with it gravitationally. This interaction has sparked intense star formation activity in M51, resulting in the formation of numerous bright blue star clusters and pinkish nebulae.
Here, we combined data from the T1000 telescope to achieve high resolution of the galaxy core, and data from the T250 telescope, which involved long acquisition times (59 hours of L / 22 hours of Ha), to capture the furthest extensions.
Technical details :
Telescopes : Axis Instruments Newton 250 · C2PU Omicron 1 meter Deltagraph
Cameras : · ZWO ASI2600MM Pro · SBIG STXL-11002
Filters : Antlia V-pro LRGBHa · Baader Bessel 65×65 LRGB
Location : AstroARO Observatory, Portugal · C2PU, Plateau de Calern, France
Total integration time : 92h
First set of data : 2021 – Last : April 18, 2024