Deep Space : 2012 winners : Astronomy Photographer of the Year…
Winner: M51 – The Whirlpool Galaxy by Martin Pugh (UK/Australia)
M51 or the Whirlpool is the archetypal spiral galaxy and for centuries astronomers have studied it in order to understand how galaxies form and evolve. Here the photographer has made use of exceptionally stable atmospheric conditions, minimising the twinkling or ‘seeing’ caused by air turbulence to produce a sharp, clear image in which every detail of the galaxy is visible.