M61 — galaxy, shown live in Cosmoscope, a real-time 3D map of the universe.
One of the largest star-forming spirals in Virgo, seen face-on with knotty arms wound around a bright bar — and a remarkable habit of producing supernovae.
M61 is placed at its true position on the sky and at its real measured distance, not as a flat backdrop. Fly out from the Sun in the live 3D view and watch it change from a point of light into structure as you approach, with the scale bar showing just how far out you have travelled.