M63 (The Sunflower Galaxy)

    M63 (NGC 5055), Magnitude 8.60 Sb Galaxy, Size 10.0'x6.0', Constellation: Canes Venatici.

Image Details:

• Scope: Celestron Ultima 8 OTA.
• Mount: Celestron AS-GT.
• Camera: Meade DSI.
• Configuration: f/3.3 focal reducer, both spacers.
• Effective Focal Length: 609mm, f/3.
• Exposure:  20 images @30 seconds.
• Acquisition software: Meade Envisage.
• Guiding: None.
• Location: Georgia Sky View, Indian Springs State Park, Jackson, Georgia.
• Date: 22 April 2006.
• Post Processing: Meade IP, Adobe Photoshop.
• Procedures: unsharp masking, Levels, JPG conversion.

Comments: The Sunflower is one of my favorite spring galaxies. Its nice oval shape and its near perfect inclination to us make it really look like a galaxy, not just another round fuzzy, even under poor sites. That said, the mottled, multiple spiral arms that give it the Sunflower moniker are very hard from suburban sites and not overly easy from the darkest locales.

This pretty Sunflower is thought to be a member of the M51 group of galaxies, lying about 37 million light years out. 

NO problem for the DSI. The silly little camera sucked this majestic nightbird right up.

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