this is my first attempt at imaging the whirlpool galaxy, m51. discovered in 1773 by charles messier, m51 is shown interacting with its smaller neighbouring galaxy ngc 5195 - part of a galactic group approximately 30million light years distant. this gravitational interaction has distorted the shape of m51 and is creating areas of new star formation as determined by the hubble space telescope. this could be what happens to our own milky way in the future which is on a collision course with m31 in andromeda.