Object Name:

Whirlpool Galaxy • M51 • NGC 5194

Object Description:

Face-on Spiral Galaxy with Companion

Position (J2000):

R.A. 13h 29m 52.37s
Dec. +47° 11' 40.8"

Constellation:

Canes Venatici

Distance:

About 9.6 Mpc (31 million light-years)

The image is roughly 9.3 kpc (30,000 light-years) in the vertical dimension.

Visual Magnitude:

8.4

Note:

The release image of M51 was created from WFPC2 archived HST data from science programs by N. Scoville (Prop 7375), H. Ford (Prop 5123), and R. Kirshner (Prop 5777). HST data have been superimposed onto BVRI and Ha ground-based data, taken by Travis Rector (NOAO) at the 0.9 meter telescope located on Kitt Peak, Tucson, AZ (NOAO/AURA/NSF).

Instrument:

WFPC2

Exposure Dates:

January 15/24, 1995; July 21, 1999

Exposure Time:

5.7 hours

Filters:

Prop 7375: F439W (B), F555W (V), F656N (Ha), F814W (I)
Prop 5123: F547M (y), F656N (Ha)
Prop 5777: F439W (B), F555W (V), F814W (I)

Ground-based Data: B, V, R, I, Ha 0.9-meter telescope KPNO (NOAO/AURA)

Principal Astronomers:

N. Scoville (Caltech), M. Polletta (U. Geneva), S. Ewald and S. Stolovy (Caltech), R.Thompson and M. Rieke (U. of Arizona)

H. Ford (JHU), B. Margon (University of Washington), A. Davidsen (JHU), R. Bohlin (STScI), E. Beaver (UCSD), F. Bartko (Bartko Science & Technology), R. Harms (RJH Scientific, Inc.), R. Angel (University of Arizona), M. Burbidge (UCSD)

R. Kirshner (Harvard University), N. Panagia (STScI), N. Suntzeff (NOAO/CTIO), B. Leibundgut (ESO Germany), A. Filippenko (UC Berkeley), C. Fransson (Stockholm University), J. Wheeler (U Texas Austin)

Image Credit:

NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Release Date:

April 5 , 2001 9:00 a.m. (EDT)

Orientation/Scale: