Spiral structure of nebulae (Whirlpool)
Estructura espiral de las nebulosas (M51)
- Date
- 1845 · confidence high
- Place
- Birr Castle, Parsonstown, Ireland
- Credited to
- William Parsons, third Earl of Rosse
- People
- 👤 William Parsons1800–1867
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
What was discovered
With the 'Leviathan of Parsonstown', the largest telescope of the century, Lord Rosse drew the spiral shape of M51. Spiral nebulae became the great enigma of the island-universe question.
What it led to
- Debate on the nature of nebulae
- Great Debate (Shapley-Curtis)
- Hubble's classification of galaxies
Built on
Made possible
- Spiral nebulae are external galaxies1924
- Large metal-mirror reflectors