Whirlpool Galaxy

Last night was a clear night so I spent a few hours at the observatory. One of the more interesting images obtained through the C14 scope was of the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51. It is a conspicuous spiral galaxy about 23 million light years away. The smaller object below is NGC 5195, a smaller galaxy captured by M51. They are located near the handle of the Big Dipper which is high in the night sky at this time of year.