The Whirlpool and Pinwheel Galaxies (all night)

On evenings during mid-April, the Big Dipper is positioned nearly overhead with its handle pointed down to the east. On this week’s moonless nights, two impressive galaxies can be seen in binoculars (orange circle) and backyard telescopes by using the bright star Alkaid at the tip of the dipper’s handle to find them. The Pinwheel Galaxy, or Messier 101, is a spectacular, large, face-on spiral galaxy positioned a slim palm’s width to the lower left (or 5.5 degrees north) of Alkaid, forming an equilateral triangle with Mizar, the double star at the bend of the dipper’s handle. This relatively close galaxy (21 million light-years away) is nearly as large as the full moon in the sky. Since the galaxy’s light is spread over such a large area, its overall brightness is lowered. Aim your binoculars several finger widths to the upper right (or 3.7 degrees to the southwest) of Alkaid to discover the iconic Whirlpool Galaxy, aka Messier 51. This spiral galaxy’s angular size is smaller, but it will look somewhat brighter in your binoculars and telescope. A secondary galaxy core designated NGC 5195 close beside M51 is linked by a bridge of material.