Apr 8, 2019 · The galaxy in question, M51, is home to the mysterious cross structure at its very core. But fear not, it’s not a sign of the end of times, nor is aliens. According to the Hubble Site, the strange ‘X’ is due to the absorption by dust and marks the exact position of a black hole, which may have a mass equivalent to one million stars like ...

In this proposed scenario, NGC 5195 came from behind M51 through the disk towards the observer and made another disk crossing as recently as 50 to 100 million years ago until it is where we observe it to be now, slightly behind M51.

Jan 5, 2014 · The nucleus of Messier 51 contains a cross, or an X-structure, which suggests that the galaxy has two dust rings surrounding the central black hole. One of the dust rings stands almost perpendicular to the relatively flat spiral galaxy, and …

Aug 25, 2024 · The Whirlpool Galaxy, M51, is a spiral galaxy located 31 million light-years away. It highlights the attributes of a typical spiral galaxy, including graceful, curving arms, pink star-forming regions, and brilliant blue strands of star clusters.

Feb 1, 2010 · Over 60,000 light-years across, M51's spiral arms and dust lanes clearly sweep in front of its companion galaxy, NGC 5195. Image data from the Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys was reprocessed to produce this alternative …

Jun 8, 1992 · NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has provided astronomers with what may be their first direct view of an immense ring of dust which fuels a massive black hole at the heart of the spiral galaxy M51, located 20 million light-years away.

Jun 3, 2015 · Cross The Whirlpool Galaxy is believed to contain a central black hole surrounded by a ring of dust. Another ring crosses the first one on a different axis, giving the appearance of a cross at the galaxy’s nucleus.

This image of the core of the nearby spiral galaxy M51, taken with the Wide Field Planetary camera (in PC mode) on NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, shows a striking, dark "X" silhouetted across the galaxy's nucleus.

This image of the core of the nearby spiral galaxy M51, taken with the Wide Field Planetary camera (in PC mode) on NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, shows a striking , dark "X" silhouetted across...

Aug 29, 2023 · M51 — also known as NGC 5194 — lies about 27 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Canes Venatici, and is trapped in a tumultuous relationship with its near neighbour, the dwarf galaxy NGC 5195.