Hubble image archive

Young, Hot Stars in a Spiral Arm of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)

A detail of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) showing a small part of one spiral arm. It reveals brilliant, blue clusters of young, hot stars embedded in vast clouds of glowing gas and darker dust. CreditsNASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI), and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Date
Jan 1, 2005
Mission
Hubble Space Telescope
Archive ID
hubblesite-images-2005-12-1695-image
By

A detail of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) showing a small part of one spiral arm. It reveals brilliant, blue clusters of young, hot stars embedded in vast clouds of glowing gas and darker dust.

Credits

NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI), and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Image Details

About The Object
Object NameWhirlpool Galaxy, M51, NGC 5194
R.A. Position13h 29m 52.37s
Dec. Position47° 11' 40.8"
ConstellationCanes Venatici
DistanceAbout 31 million light-years (9.6 Megaparsecs)
About The Data
Data DescriptionThis image was created from HST data from proposal : S. Beckwith (STScI), R. Kennicutt Jr. (University of Arizona), and H. Bond, C. Christian, L. Frattare, F. Hamilton, Z. Levay, M. Mutchler, K. Noll, and T. Royle (The Hubble Heritage Team, STScI). Note: High level science products (combined and mosaiced fits files for each filter) are available at:
InstrumentHST>ACS/WFC
Exposure DatesJanuary 18-22, 2005, Exposure Time: 9.0 hours
FiltersF435W (B), F555W (V), F658N (Halpha + [N II]), F814W (I)
About The Image
Color InfoBlue: F435W (B) Green: F555W (V) Red: F658N (Halpha + [N II]) + F814W (I)

Google Preferred Sources

See more from Space Telescope in Google

Choose Space Telescope as a preferred source to make our mission news, visual reporting, and independent explainers easier to find in Google Search.