M63 - the sunflower galaxy is a classic spring galaxy - a giant 100,000 LY flocculent spiral lying 27 million LY away in Canes Venatici (the hunting dogs). Sunflowers hail the summer sun, and brighten up our gardens, as well as being a valuable energy rich source of seed and oil for our garden birds, and ourselves. 'Sonyashnyk' - the sunflower is also the national flower of Ukraine, and this image is a tribute to the brave people living through terrifying times, and a reminder to us, not to forget them.
I imaged this
photogenic galaxy last April with my SCT, and had forgotten the trouble I had removing satellite trails from my final image. I have left them in, criss-crossing this wide field, just as missiles do across Ukraine's skies most weeks - satellites are a nuisance, cruise missiles, deadly! The core of this galaxy is wonderful, filled with diffuse knots and star streams - herewith an image
combining data from my mono and OSC cameras.
Astrobin, is of course open to all, and takes a non-partisan approach to hosting a community of astrophotographers, united in our passion for the night sky. I just ask that we spare a thought, a prayer, or more, for the people and land of Ukraine. If not...
Revision A - with my trusty stellarmate driven portable setup - calibrated in Nebulosity and processed in Siril
Revision B (mouseover) processed in Startools
Revision C - annotated (using ASTAP)
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