Galaxies · Grand-design spiral galaxy

Whirlpool Galaxy

31 million light-years · Light crosses it in 76,900 years

Across

76,900 light-years

Vs Earth

0.77× Milky Way

Mass

160.0 billion Suns

Open Whirlpool Galaxy in Cosmic Scale

In the app, Whirlpool Galaxy is part of the Beyond pack.

About

The Whirlpool Galaxy is a classic spiral seen face-on, its arms stirred up by a smaller galaxy, NGC 5195, that is passing behind one of them.

Its arms are being stirred up by a smaller galaxy tugging on one of them.

At a glance

Distance	About 31 million light-years
Size	About 77,000 light-years
Also known as	M51
Companion	NGC 5195

Did you know

1. It was the first galaxy found to have a spiral shape, by Lord Rosse in 1845.
2. Three supernovae have been seen in it since 1994.
3. A candidate planet was spotted in it in 2021, the first possible planet in another galaxy.

Real photo

• The Whirlpool Galaxy and its companion NGC 5195, Hubble — NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI), and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) (CC BY 4.0) · source