M63
About this object
M63 is a spiral galaxy in the Constellation Canes Venatici. It's brightness is around magnitude 8.6. M63 is also called the "Sun Flower" galaxy. The galaxy has blue spiral arms intermixed with active star forming regions and a pinkish core of older stars. Surrounding M63 are very faint star trails indicating that M63 once interacted with another galaxy pulling these stars away from the the main galaxy. This image is a total of 17hrs of exposure time.
Image Details
- Optics : 10" Carbon Fiber Astrograph @ f3.75
- Mount: Mountain Instruments MI-250
- Camera: QSI 583
- Filters: AstroDon 31mm LRGB filter set
- Exposure: LRGB 640:140:130:150 RGB binned 2x2
- Camera/Mount Control: Maxim DL 4.56, CCD Commander
- Location: Stark Bayou Observatory, Ocean Springs, MS
- Date: Apr/May 11
