About this Object:
The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a, M51a, and NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. Its distance is estimated to be 23 million light-years away from Earth.

About this photo:
Location: Spring Hill Observatory Stow Massachusetts
Telescope: Astrotech RC8 @ F8
Mount: CGEM
Guiding: Orion StarShoot AutoGuider / OAG
Camera: ZWO 294MC Pro
Exposure: 21 Frames x 180 sec (63 min.)
Acquisition: SharpCap v3.2 Darks, Flats
Processing: PixInsight v. 1.8
Post-processing: Adobe Photoshop
Date(s): May 24, 2020