M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy
The elegant billowing arms of the majestic Whirlpool Galaxy are the factories of new stars that are born from dust and gas some 31 million light-years from Earth. Adding to its beauty is the smaller galaxy NGC 5195 passing close by one arm. The galaxy can be seen in the constellation Canes Venatici and in small telescopes as a nebulous structure at the very edge of visibility.
