Wide-Field View of M51
This Chandra image of M51 shows the X-ray emission around the centers of both NGC 5194 (lower right) and NGC 5195 (upper left). In addition, there are 84 X-ray sources within the boundary of NGC 5194. The number of luminous X-ray sources is much larger than normal spiral and elliptical galaxies and similar to galaxies experiencing starburst activity.
Scale: Image is 10 arcmin across by 11.6 arcmin.
(Credit: NASA/CXC/UMd./A.Wilson et al.)

Expanded Central View of M51
This Chandra image has been processed to show the X-rays emitted from SN 1994I. The blast wave from the supernova explosion is interacting with the surrounding circumstellar medium giving X-ray emission which is still visible, thanks to the high sensitivity of Chandra, seven years after the explosion.
Scale: Image is 1.5 arcmin across by 1.6 arcmin.
(Credit: NASA/CXC/UMd./A.Wilson et al.)

Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) HST Image
The Whirlpool galaxy, M51, has been studied extensively in a range of wavelengths, by large ground- and space-based observatories. The Hubble composite image of the inner region shows visible starlight as well as light from the emission of glowing hydrogen, which is associated with the most luminous young stars in the spiral arms.
Scale: Image is 3.6 arcmin across by 4.4 arcmin.
(Credit: NASA/AURA/STScI/Hubble Heritage Team)

Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) NOAO Image
This image of M51 was taken with the NOAO Mosaic CCD camera on the National Science Foundation's 0.9-meter telescope located at Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, AZ. M51 consists of the large spiral galaxy NGC 5194 and its smaller companion NGC 5195. M51 is about 30 million light years away and over 65,000 light-years in diameter.
Scale: Image is 8.8 arcmin across by 11 arcmin.
(Credit: NOAO/AURA/NSF/T.A.Rector & M.Ramirez)

Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) Infrared Image
This infrared image comes from the European Space Agency's Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) which operated from 1995-1998. Mid-infrared light is well-suited to studying star formation and tracing dust in spiral galaxies. This image shows the galaxy cores and spiral arms, and also nicely illustrates the knots of star formation occurring in the arms of M51.
Scale: Image is 8.8 arcmin across by 11 arcmin.
(Credit: ESA/ISO, CAM, M.Sauvage et al.)

Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) Radio Image
Chandra's X-ray image (see #1 above) highlights the energetic central regions of the two interacting galaxies that are collectively called the Whirlpool Galaxy. A large number of point-like X-ray sources due to black holes and neutron stars can be seen. Extending to the north and south of the bright nucleus are clouds of multimilliondegree gas. The similarity of these features with ones observed at radio wavelengths, such as in the Very Large Array image shown here, suggests that the gas is heated by high-velocity jets produced near a supermassive black hole in the nucleus of the galaxy.
Scale: Image is 8.8 arcmin across by 11 arcmin.
(Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF)

Chandra X-ray Image with Scale Bar
Scale bar = 2 arcmin
(Credit: NASA/CXC/U.Md/A.Wilson et al.)