M51: The Center Of The Whirlpool
Explanation:
In the center of M51, a spiral galaxy 23 million light-years away,
astronomers have identified a dense region of young stars.
Viewed face-on in the constellation
Canes
Venatici, the swirling arcs of this
galaxy's spiral arms
have inspired its popular name,
The Whirlpool Galaxy.
This 1996
Hubble Space
Telescope image of
its nucleus
reveals the
light from millions of stars, perhaps one tenth the age of the Sun,
packed into the bright central region.
A mere 80 light-years across, this area is so crowded with stars
that the view from a
hypothetical planet orbiting one of these
distant suns would be of a continuously bright sky!
The dark "Y"
shape visible within this region is an indication that
lanes of dust are present,
partially blocking the intense starlight.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
