Early this morning we were off to the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia. A Stunning museum in a wonderful building - an old textile mill. We were there to view some antique telescopes which were on display. This image is part of a traveling NASA exhibit about the work of the Hubble Space Telescope, and it was next to where the telescopes were on display. It is a huge illuminated transparency that is awe inspiring to stand in front of and contemplate. It is known as the Whirlpool Galaxy (also known as Messier 51). The large galaxy is interacting with a smaller galaxy - some say it is devouring it. It is located about 37 Million light years away from us. The galaxy's massive center, the bright ball of light in the center of the photograph, is about 80 light-years across and has a brightness of about 100 million suns. After I stood looking at this transparency for some time, I walked away, and then turned to see this gentleman as transfixed as I was, and quickly took this photograph before he moved away.
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