Posted on 12/04/2020 2:41:01 PM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: A bright spiral galaxy of the northern sky, Messier 63 is nearby, about 30 million light-years distant toward the loyal constellation Canes Venatici. Also cataloged as NGC 5055, the majestic island universe is nearly 100,000 light-years across, about the size of our own Milky Way. Its bright core and majestic spiral arms lend the galaxy its popular name, The Sunflower Galaxy, while this exceptionally deep exposure also follows faint, arcing star streams far into the galaxy's halo. Extending nearly 180,000 light-years from the galactic center the star streams are likely remnants of tidally disrupted satellites of M63. Other satellite galaxies of M63 can be spotted in this remarkable wide-field image, made with a small telescope, including five newly identified faint dwarf galaxies, which could contribute to M63's star streams in the next few billion years.
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then zoom by moving the magnifying glass over an area and then clicking. The side bars will move the zoomed area over the photograph.
To me, this looks like manās struggle to understand his place in the universe.
Or a fried egg.
I see a black and white cat about an inch below the bright center.
Heās chasing some String Theory.
Here's what it looks like after cooking.
nyuck nyuck nyuck!
Once again thanks for posting these. I like the Messier photos the best because of all the time I spent hunting for them with 10X50 binocs. That was a fun late winter, spring, and early summer. Everyone interested in astronomy should try hunting the Messier list before their eyes grow old.
Itās the Cuisinart Galaxy!
I hunted the Messier.....with a 12 gauge shotgun.
Itās going to take a while for the shot to get there.
Jerome Howard, aka “curly”..
Thank you! ;-)
Link to a high resolution image of Messier objects 1-110, all within a single super-large image.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/All_messier_objects_%28numbered%29.jpg
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Link to a high resolution image of Messier objects 1-110, all within a single super-large image.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/All_messier_objects_%28numbered%29.jpg
Looks like a crab, to me...
Why do you describe this constellation as ‘loyal’? Is it because it’s named after dogs?
The descriptions on these threads are from the APOD website.
"Explanation: A bright spiral galaxy of the northern sky, Messier 63 is nearby, about 30 million light-years distant toward the loyal constellation Canes Venatici."
In any case, you are probably correct about it being a āpunā.
āCanes Venatici is one of the 88 official modern constellations. It is a small northern constellation that was created by Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. Its name is Latin for āhunting dogsā, and the constellation is often depicted in illustrations as representing the dogs of Boƶtes the Herdsman, a neighboring constellation.ā
I lack knowledge of astronomical language - the furthest I got was ‘OBAFGKM’. But what does the word ‘created’ mean in your quote?
(I thought we just observed the natural arrangement of brighter stars and nominated those groups with fanciful names to identify them.)
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