Whirlpool M51 Galaxy Structure Essay

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The structure of the M51 galaxy is approximately ninety eight thousand light years in diameter which translates to almost 30, 000 parsec. This means that its diameter is equal to the distance covered going round the sun (30, 000*103,000) times. The M51 is 37 million light years away from the earth. Thus, it will take an individual thirty seven million years to reach the galaxy if travelling at the speed of light (Kaler 23).

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The beautiful colours that form the M51 galaxy are natural colours formed as a result of the intense star forming processes that take place at the galaxy due to the continuous compression of hydrogen gas to form helium and other new stars (Dreyer 62). This process involves the presence of very dark clouds of gases that are almost black surrounding the outer edges of the galaxy.

The dark clouds are then transformed to pink regions which eventually form stars that appear in brilliant blue colours signifying the combustion of hydrogen. Thus, when viewed from far they do not appear like real colours, but in essence they are natural colours derived from a natural process.

The similarity between the Milky Way and M51 is that they are both spiral in shape and cannot be seen by the naked eye (Tully 46). Furthermore, they appear blurred with shinning spots if viewed using a binoculars and thus one would need a very powerful telescope to see all their features like the ones in the photograph. They both have a very bright spot at their center which signifies massive star formation activities.

I would never be able to travel to the M51 galaxy due to the fact that it is far away, and even getting a vessel to take me there will be impossible at the moment since the journey will take 37 million years if I travel at the speed of light.

Works Cited

Dreyer, J. The Complete New General Catalogue and Index Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters. New York, NY: Sky Publishing Corporation, 2008. Print.

Kaler, J. The Little Book of Stars. New York, NY: Copernicus Books, 2006. Print.

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Tully, R. Nearby Galaxies Catalog. London, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Print.

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