The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a, M51a, and NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy.

Distance to Earth: 23.16 million light years

Radius: 30,000 light years

Age: 400.3 million years

Stars: 100 billion

Apparent size (V): 11′.2 × 6′.9

Did you know: The whirlpool, like many other galaxies, has a supermassive black hole at its heart, surrounded by rings of dust.