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Deep Sky Section News

Bright Supernova in M51

June 2011 produced a superb astronomical event, a bright supernova in the bright galaxy M51, also called the Whirlpool galaxy is visible in even a small telescope in good conditions as two misty patches of light almost touching.

Larger telescopes reveal M51 is a magnificent spiral galaxy orientated face on showing its spiral structure to the best advantage and something new appeared recently in one of the outer spiral arms, a new star produced by a star going supernova at the end of its life. The supernova looked like a magnitude 13.9 star, achievable in a 8 inch aperture in good conditions and a 10 inch aperture should  show it well.