M51, better known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, is a magnificent face-on spiral galaxy. The Whirlpool Galaxy is interacting with a smaller companion, NGC 5195, a dwarf galaxy connected to its larger neighbour by a tidal bridge of dust. The bridge is visible in images of the pair silhouetted against the central region of the smaller galaxy. It lies at an approximate distance of 35 million light years from Earth.
The first image is a wide-field view
This second image is a more close-up view of M51
