Pinwheel galaxy (M101), optical image. This large spiral galaxy is located only around 22 million light years from our own, but at 170,000 light years

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Pinwheel galaxy (M101), optical image. This large spiral galaxy is located only around 22 million light years from our own, but at 170,000 light years across is around twice the size. There are many bright regions of starbirth, which are thought to be the result of an energetic collision with a smaller galaxy. It lies in the constellation Ursa Major.

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Size: 5292px × 3769px
Photo credit: © ROBERT GENDLER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 101, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, birth, evolution, formation, galactic, galaxy, m101, major, messier, ngc5457, pinwheel, space, spiral, star, starbirth, stars, stellar, telescope, universe, ursa