DESCRIPTION: Discovered in 1777 by Charles Messier, M51 is approximately 31,000,000 light years from earth, its prominent spiral structure is due to the interaction it encountered with a smaller near by galaxy NGC 5195 (also pictured). The magnitude of this object is 8.4. M51 is located in the northern portion of the constellation Canes Venatici, just below the last star (Alkaid) in the handle of the big dipper. This object will require a fair sized telescope to pick out, and at a dark site it may be view through a scope as small as 6 inches.
LOCATION: Raleigh, North Carolina
DATE: 03/18/19 10:22PM
SCOPE: 10" Meade LX200 f/10
FILM: ZWO ASI294MCPro
EXPOSURE: 22x240sRGB, 1 hour 28 minute total exposureNOTES: This image was taken in the back yard with my Meade on a Ioptron CEM60, and using a ZWO color CMOS camera. this was the first DSO I took with this camera, so it's a bit grainy.