A textbook grand-design spiral locked in a gravitational dance with a smaller companion. Its sweeping arms made it the first galaxy ever recognised as a spiral, by Lord Rosse in 1845.

Continue your journey across the cosmos

Across the spectrum

M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy)

See it across the spectrum

Spacecraft

Hubble Space Telescope

Another great explorer

Deep-sky object

Andromeda Galaxy

Another cosmic wonder

Deep-sky object

Antennae Galaxies

Another cosmic wonder

Deep-sky object

Black Eye Galaxy

Another cosmic wonder

Deep-sky object

Bode's Galaxy

Another cosmic wonder