Canes Venatici Constellation
List of stars in Canes Venatici
Abbreviation CVn
Genitive Canum Venaticorum
Symbolism the Hunting Dogs
Right ascension. 13 h
Declination +40°
Quadrant NQ3
Area 465 sq. deg. (38th)
Brightest star Cor Caroli
Nearest star DG Can
(25.89 ly, 7.94 pc)
Canes Venaticids Visible latitudes between +90° & −40°
Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of May The Whirlpool Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici (hunting dogs).
23 million light-years from our Milky Way. According to astrophysical simulations, M51b plunged through the plane of the Whirlpool Galaxy about 550 million years ago, and a second time about 80 million years ago.
As the intruder galaxy went through M51a, the gravitational disturbance produced its pronounced spiral arms.
All the red areas are H II regions, large interstellar clouds of glowing gas where star formation takes place; this is where new stars are born.
Reference used: public domain hubble photo (NASA): [link]
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