Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Canes Venatici (CVn)  ·  Contains:  M 63  ·  NGC 5055  ·  Sunflower Galaxy
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M63 Sunflower Galaxy, Jeff Culp
M63 Sunflower Galaxy
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M63 Sunflower Galaxy

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
M63 Sunflower Galaxy, Jeff Culp
M63 Sunflower Galaxy
Powered byPixInsight

M63 Sunflower Galaxy

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Description

There is so much more going on with this galaxy than initially meets the eye. In the 3 o'clock position in the outer arms of this fabulous galaxy appears an edge-on galaxy in the distance. First time I imaged M63 I thought this was an artifact of some sort.  But after seeing other's images, it is indeed a more distant DSO.  Secondly, although my processing didn't bring out very well the faint tailing arm in the approximately 3:30 position further out.  Then as one studies M63 more, in the lower portion (roughly 5:00 to 8:00 position) there is some definite darker banding of dust which gives more of a 3D look of layers obscuring the disk of stars.  This is more evident in M31 Andromeda Galaxy, but a fascinating effect nonetheless.  Using a OSC camera however, I miss bringing out the  Ha regions that mono cameras capture beautifully.

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M63 Sunflower Galaxy, Jeff Culp