M51 Whirlpool Galaxy
 
Located about 23 million light-years from Earth, M51 is a spiral face-on galaxy 60,000 light-years across. The redish color in the arms of the spiral are from HII gas. M51 is believed to be robbing matter from its smaller companion galaxy, NGC 5195, seen just below it. Two other tiny galaxies can be seen near NGC5195 - IC 4278 to the right and IC 4277 to the right and below it. North is at the top.

Scope/Mount: AstroTech AT8RC 8" F8 Ritchey-Chretien with Astro-Physics CCDT67 Focal Reducer, Celestron CI-700 Mount
Camera: Orion StarShoot Pro V2 one-shot color
Guiding: QHY5L-IIM through Orion Deluxe OAG, PHD guiding software
Exposure: (18) 10 min.
Software: Nebulosity, PhotoShop
Comment: 05-27-2017, Tierra del Sol, CA. Good conditions.