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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Curly Spiral Galaxy M63
NASA ^ | 22 May, 2025 | Image Credit & Copyright: Alberto Pisabarro

Posted on 05/22/2025 1:21:40 PM PDT 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. This exceptionally deep exposure also follows faint loops and curling 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 the remarkable wide-field image, including dwarf galaxies, which could contribute to M63's star streams in the next few billion years.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 05/22/2025 1:21:40 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 05/22/2025 1:22:06 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 05/22/2025 1:23:10 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Nice!


4 posted on 05/22/2025 1:27:08 PM PDT by Huskrrrr (Alinsky, you magnificent Bastard, I read your book!)
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To: MtnClimber

Larry and Moe are the two at bottom left.


5 posted on 05/22/2025 1:28:11 PM PDT by AFB-XYZ (( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
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To: MtnClimber

Mmmm. Curly fries!


6 posted on 05/22/2025 1:29:54 PM PDT by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
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To: MtnClimber

Looks kinda like Uncle Fester’s eyeball with wings.


7 posted on 05/22/2025 1:35:18 PM PDT by CatHerd (Whoever said "all's fair in love and war" probably never participated in either.)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


8 posted on 05/22/2025 2:34:27 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: MtnClimber

We are so small.


9 posted on 05/22/2025 2:40:45 PM PDT by Omnivore-Dan
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To: Omnivore-Dan

We are so small.


About the size of Mickey Rooney.


10 posted on 05/22/2025 2:43:20 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: MtnClimber

I went to the photographer’s website (clicked on his name at the APOD website), and wow, does he have the equipment! AND the astrophotographer’s chops using it all. Beautiful equipment and great processing of the data.


11 posted on 05/22/2025 6:11:13 PM PDT by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
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