What is the Whirlpool Galaxy?

The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as “Messier 51” was first cataloged in 1773 by Charles Messier.  However, it was not identified as a spiral galaxy until 1845 by Earl of Rosse using the Leviathan telescope at Birr Castle in Ireland.  At the time, this 1.82m diameter telescope was the largest in the world, so it is appropriate that it is now being imaged by Herschel, the largest ever infrared telescope. The bright blue region seen above the main part of the Galaxy in this image is a smaller galaxy with which M51 is in the process of merging.  Herschel observations of similar spiral galaxies will shed light on the way these galaxies have formed and the way they are forming stars at the moment. The Whirlpool Galaxy is one of the brightest and most famous galaxies in the night sky, notable for its two striking spiral arms that make M51 a grand design galaxy. The spiral arms are really lanes of stars and starburst regions interspersed with dust. They compress hydrogen gas and are responsible for creating new clusters of stars.

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