Messier 51 and it's interacting companion galaxy NGC 5195. First categorized by Charles Messier in October 1773, and in 1845, William Parsons first saw the spiral structure. It was the first "nebula" to show a spiral structure. In Edwin Hubble was able to show these "nebula" were far outside of our galaxy by measuring the brightness of Cepheid variable stars located in the object.
Interaction between M51 and NGC 5195 has led to increased star formation in the system and may have accounted for its pronounced spiral structure.
Imaged with the Es127 refractor and the Atik 314l+ mono camera.