M51: The Whirlpool Galaxy

The Whirlpool Galaxy is a pair of interacting galaxies with a pronounced spiral structure in the constellation of Canes Venatici (The Hunter's Dogs).

It is located 25 million ly away. With its total brightness of 8.4 mg, it is hard to make out visually even with relatively large telescopes.

Images taken: April 19, 2007

Students: Erin Callahan, Halley Anne Hargrave, Elizabeth Tucker, Kasey Moore.

Telescope: Meade 12 in with f/5.7 focal reducer (f=68in).

Camera: SBIG ST-10 CCD

 Exposures: 4x20 min (red), 4x20 min (green), 7x20 min (blue). That is a total of 5 hours of light collecting.

Image processing: CCDoops + CCDsoft + Photoshop CS.

Images taken: April 29, 2008

Students: Kent Ford and Courtney Ann Jackson.

Telescope: Meade 12 in with f/5.7 focal reducer (f=68in).

Camera: SBIG ST-10 CCD

 Exposures: 2100 sec (red), 2400 sec (green), 2400 sec (blue), and 2700 sec (H-alpha). That is a total of 2h50m of light collecting.

Image processing: CCDoops + CCDsoft + Photoshop CS.