Whirlpool galaxy
The Whirlpool Galaxy, is also known as Messier 51a, M51a, or NGC 5194. It is a large galaxy with well-defined spiral arms, with a smaller companion galaxy. They have been through a collision,[7] and are still interacting.[6]
| Whirlpool Galaxy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Canes Venatici[1] |
| Right ascension | 13h 29m 52.7s[2] |
| Declination | +47° 11′ 43″[2] |
| Redshift | 463 ± 3 km/s[2] |
| Distance | 23 ± 4 Mly (7.1 ± 1.2 Mpc)[3][4] |
| Type | SA(s)bc pec[2] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 11′.2 × 6′.9[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 8.4[5] |
| Notable features | Interacting with NGC 5195[6] |
| Other designations | |
| Question Mark Galaxy,[2] Rosse's Galaxy,[2] M51a,[2] NGC 5194,[2] UGC 8493,[2] PGC 47404,[2] VV 001a,[2] VV 403,[2] Arp 85,[2] GC 3572[2] | |
The Whirlpool was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy.[8] Different methods put its distance as between 15 to 35 million light-years. Recently it was estimated to be 23 ± 4 million light-years from the Milky Way.[3] Messier 51 is one of the best known galaxies in the sky.[9]
Its spiral arms are so impressive and well-defined that it is called a "grand design" spiral galaxy.[10] It has an active galactic nucleus,[11] no doubt fuelled by a massive black hole.
The galaxy and its companion, NGC 5195, are easily seen by amateur astronomers, in the constellation Canes Venatici. The two galaxies can be seen with binoculars.[12] The Whirlpool Galaxy is also a popular target for professional astronomers. They study its galaxy structure (particularly the spiral arms) and galaxy interactions.
Whirlpool Galaxy Media
Sketch of M51 by Lord Rosse in 1845
The image of the Whirlpool Galaxy in visible light (left) and infrared light (right)
Whirlpool Galaxy – Observed in Various Lighta) 0.4 and 0.7 μm; b) vis-blue/green and IR-red; c) 3.6, 4.5, and 8 μm; d) 24 μm
2022 James Webb Space Telescope image of the galactic center.
A 1992 Hubble image showing M51's active galactic nucleus, occluded by some dust
Supernova impostor AT2019abn, imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope
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Related pages
References
- ↑ Dreyer J.L.E. 1988. The Complete New General Catalogue and Index Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters (1988)Sky Publishing Corporation/Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-933346-51-4.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Results for NGC 5194. Retrieved 2006-12-06.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Takáts K. & Vinkó J. 2006.. Distance estimate and progenitor characteristics of SN 2005cs in M51. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 372 (4) (2006). p. 1735–1740. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10974.x.
- ↑ Distance Results for MESSIER 051. NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
- ↑ M51SEDS.org.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Arp H. 1966 Atlas of peculiar galaxies. Astrophysical Journal Supplement 14, 1–20. [1]
- ↑ When galaxies collide, they actually move through each other. This causes gravitational effects, and leads to an increase in star formation.
- ↑ Whirlpool Galaxy: First Spiral Galaxy. Universe for Facts. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ↑ Scalzi, John 2003.. The Rough Guide to the Universe (2003)Rough Guides. p. 250. ISBN 1-85828-939-4.
- ↑ Elmegreen D.M. & Elmegreen B.G. 1987. Arm classifications for spiral galaxies. Astrophysical Journal 314 (1987). p. 3–9. doi:10.1086/165034.
- ↑ Matsushita, Satoki; Muller, Sebastien & Lim, Jeremy 2007. Jet-disturbed molecular gas near the Seyfert 2 nucleus in M51. Astronomy & Astrophysics 468 (A&A Letters Special Issue) (2007). p. L49–L52. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20067039.
- ↑ Nemiroff, Robert & Bonnell, Jerry 2000. M51: The Whirlpool Galaxy. Astronomy Picture of the DayNASA. Retrieved 2007-04-22.