Stunning image of Whirlpool galaxy

The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced a stunning image of the spiral galaxy M51, also known as Whirlpool.

It is the result of a complex process of images taken by the Herschel observatory in Europe and the Hubble space telescope. Combined images of the galaxy are taken at visible infrared wavelengths.

With Herschel's picture, cold areas, dust and gas regions of the galaxy M51, where ongoing star formation is highlighted.

Whirlpool's magical red light (Photo: BBC)

Professor David Southwood, Director of Science and Expedition at ESA commented: "It is a great image we have received from the Herschel telescope. The red areas are the places we discovered. So that star-forming activity is going on there "

Herschel and Hubble are a powerful combination that will give us great images of the universe.

The Whirlpool galaxy is relatively close, about 35 million light years from the Canes Venatici constellation.