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Capture the cosmos > Galaxies > Dig deeper (cont'd) > Fast Facts: Whirlpool Galaxy and Companion
Whirlpool Galaxy and Companion
| Name(s) | Whirlpool Galaxy, M51, NGC 5194 and NGC 5195 |
| Description | A face-on spiral galaxy with companion |
| Location | Found in the northern constellation Canes Venatici |
| Distance from Earth |
About 9.6 megaparsecs (31 million light-years) |
| Size | The distance across the Whirlpool Galaxy and its companion is roughly 27 kiloparsecs (90,000 light-years) |
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The Whirlpool Galaxy spreads its majestic, star-studded arms to form a giant, celestial pinwheel.
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Capture the cosmos > Galaxies > Dig deeper (cont'd) > Fast Facts: Whirlpool Galaxy and Companion