Messier 63 - Sunflower Galaxy


M 63

MouseOver for object identification, Click on image for a zoomable version

Location / Date

Zellerndorf, May 2012, Jan 2013

Telescope / Mount / Guiding

Skywatcher 10" f4,7 Newtonian, Skywatcher NEQ6, Lacerta Mgen, ASA Quattro Coma Corrector

Camera / Exposure

Canon EOS 500Da, 11 x 20min ISO 200
16 x 15min ISO 400, 12 x 30min ISO 200 (total 13h 40min)

Processing

Theli, Fitswork, PixInsight, Photoshop

Notes

Messier 63 (also known as M63, NGC 5055, or the Sunflower Galaxy) is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici consisting of a central disc surrounded by many short spiral arm segments. M63 is part of the M51 Group, a group of galaxies that also includes M 51 (the 'Whirlpool Galaxy').

This image shows also enormous but very faint arcs stretching into the halo of the galaxy. This arcs, or stellar streams, are the remnants of a satellite galaxy that was disrupted by the large spiral galaxy.

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