Spark and Perl go looking
It is a swirl!
Like the bath!
Now look at the end of that arm.
There is a little one stuck on it!
Being pulled.
That tugging is part of why the swirl shows up so clearly.
Is it being eaten?
Slowly.
Over more time than you or I can picture.
Yes.
In spring, high in the sky. It takes a dark night.
You can see this from almost anywhere — but not the very far south.
Where to find the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51), and when
Where the Earth is clear, it climbs high in the sky. The darker it gets, the lower it stays. Where it is black, it never comes up. No shading at all: it does not matter where you live.
What do I need to see the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)?
You need a 150 mm telescope. Your eyes and binoculars will not show this one. This picture is about 100× — which is what that telescope gives on a good night.
Arms rather than a blob only come on a really dark night. Worth the trip.
Space
Eyes, binoculars, or telescope?
Read on
Go and look