Ironically, many of the most unusual objects in the universe are given unimaginative names con- sisting only of catalogue numbers. The Whirlpool Galaxy, however, is an aptly named exception. In this visible light image lanes of interstellar gas and dust separate the galaxyΓÇÖs gracefully sweeping spiral arms. Although the lanes appear dark, they are actually filled with stars. Most fascinating about the Whirlpool system is its interaction with another galaxy, NGC 5195 (top of image). The two galaxies appear to be colliding, but they are really passing through one another. Because there is so much space between stars in a galaxy, it is unlikely that this galactic encounter will result in an actual collision. Instead, the galaxies will distort
