Messier objects are some of the most depicted objects in the universe. In part, that’s because many of them are so visibly engaging. A good example of this is the Whirlpool Galaxy M51, which recently received an even more dramatic visual representation with a new photo from NASA. The magnetic fields that hold the galaxy together and tear it apart at the same time are clearly visible in it. And it’s even more breathtaking to look at.
The photos were compiled by NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Mission and were presented to the American Astronomical Society at its 237th session last week. Astronomers have long known the magnetic fields in some parts of the galaxy, but SOFIA’s high resolution broadband aerial camera (HAWC +) filled the chaotic scene around the galaxy’s outskirts.
Magnetic fields are not the only breathtaking way to observe the Whirlpool galaxy – this is where it is x-rayed.
Photo credit: Chandra Observatory
Some of this chaos is likely caused by another galaxy, NGC 5195, which is starting to interact with the Whirlpool galaxy and is visible in the upper part of the image. It probably amplifies the magnetic fields in the space between the two galaxies. The effects of these fields will at some point be felt across the galaxy, but it will take missions of years for this to happen. In the meantime, we can appreciate another piece of astronomical wizardry and watch the chaos unfold from afar.
Learn more:
NASA: Magnetic chaos hidden in the Whirlpool galaxy
KPVI: Magnetic chaos hidden in the Whirlpool galaxy
S & T: Magnetic whirlpool
UT: Supernova discovered the Whirlpool galaxy in M51
Feature Image: Magnetic field lines detected in the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51). Photo credit: NASA, the SOFIA science team, A. Borlaff; NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI) and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA)
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