The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51, spins through space in this Hubble Space Telescope image. Discovered 250 years ago by French astronomer Charles Messier, the galaxy is interacting with the smaller galaxy at top right. That has pulled great streamers of stars from the bright spiral, and spawned the birth of many new stars, which are seen in the bright red regions. The image also show dark lanes of dust entwined within the galaxy's spiral arms. [NASA/ESA]
Find out more in our radio program entitled Messier 51.