09-08-2016, 10:52 PM
This isn't a discovery, but a few months ago we got a request from the BBC who were doing a live science broadcast in the UK. UKIRT staff were asked if we could provide an image that night, and despite poor weather and a very late request, we managed to get this for them. It's only a few seconds of exposure time in the infrared.
Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) and its companion galaxy, NGC 5195:
http://www.ukidss.org/images/ukidss-m51-large.jpg
Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) and its companion galaxy, NGC 5195:
http://www.ukidss.org/images/ukidss-m51-large.jpg

