M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy
Spiral structure in galaxies was resolved for the first time ever by Lord Rosse in 1845 while viewing the Whirlpool using a 6 foot reflector.


  • RA:13:30
  • Dec: 47:12
  • Size: 11'x7'
  • Magnitude: 8.4
  • Distance: 37 million ly
  • Constellation: Canes Venatici
  • Millennium Star Atlas: Vol. II, p. 589
  • Scope: 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien at f/9
  • Autoguider: unguided
  • Sky conditions: Partly cloudy, variable seeing
  • Film: FLI Dream Machine CCD
  • Exposure: 20x30 seconds L, 10x60 seconds R,G,B
  • Date: 4-13-01 and 4-27-01

A night of wildly varying conditions. Part of the time, high clouds were sweeping by with excellent seeing, other times it was clear with poor seeing. Then, the batteries powering the whole affair gave out almost simultaneously with the clouds rolling in at last and the evening was finished. It started raining as I stuffed the last pieces of hardware in the car.

Since the color data suffered on the 4-13 outing, I reshot it on 4-27.


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