Whirlpool Galaxy’s (M51) Companion Nucleus and Dust Lanes

A small detail of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) showing the central region of the companion galaxy (NGC 5195). Fine structures of dark dust clouds are seen silhouetted against the smaller galaxy's starlight.

About the colours

Blue: F435W (B) Green: F555W (V) Red: F658N (Halpha + [N II]) + F814W (I)

About the data

This image was created from HST data from proposal 10452 : S. Beckwith (STScI), R. Kennicutt Jr. (University of Arizona), and H. Bond, C. Christian, L. Frattare, F. Hamilton, Z. Levay, M. Mutchler, K. Noll, and T. Royle (The Hubble Heritage Team, STScI). Note: High level science products (combined and mosaiced fits files for each filter) are available at: http://archive.stsci.edu/prepds/m51