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NGC 4565 (Caldwell 38), Coma Berenices, (Needle Galaxy)
NGC 4565 (Caldwell 38), Coma Berenices, (Needle Galaxy)
NGC 4565 is an edge-on spiral galaxy in the constellation of Coma Berenices, first documented by William Herschel in 1785. Due to its narrow profile, it is known as the Needle Galaxy. On large scales it is one of the nearest, biggest, and brightest members of the Coma I Galaxy Group. Considerable inconsistencies are found in the literature regarding the apparent and derived properties of this galaxy. According to the NED database, its blue apparent magnitude is 10.42 (8.21 V), and angular size 15.85 arcmin. Its redshift derived distance is 58.5 Mly, and distance based on the median value of 34 redshift-independent distance measurements is 38.47 Mly. Its redshift-based recession velocity is 1,259 km/s, and estimated diameter range between 177,000 and 268,000 light years. Although the galaxy is substantially larger than the Milky Way, its calculated intrinsic brightness is not proportionally higher. Due to its smaller surface area because of edge-on orientation and to thick layers of absorbing dust and gas, its integrated apparent magnitude and calculated absolute magnitudes are significantly lower than expected.
The galaxy's edge-on aspect obscures the nature of the central bulge in the optical band. Infrared studies with the Spitzer Space Telescope suggest the presence of a central bar as well as an inner ring. Meanwhile, the galaxy's orientation allows spectacular view of the dust lanes in the thin galactic disk. Spectroscopic studies of the central region indicate NGC 4565 has an active galactic nucleus of the LINER type powered by accretion around a central supermassive black hole.
NGC 4565 has at least two satellite galaxies. Slightly curved tips of its galactic disk suggest minor gravitational interaction. LEDA 2793674, lying in the foreground, is a small irregular dwarf, less than 10,000 ly in diameter. NGC 4562, in the background, is a minor barred spiral with a gravitationally distorted disk, about one quarter in diameter compared to the Milky Way.
Image details:
Meade 8'' ACF, AP 0.7x compressor (200 x 1400mm)
iEQ30pro mount, Orion 60mm f/4 SSAGpro autoguider
Canon T3i modified camera, Astronomik L3 filter
OSC 25 x 300 sec subexposures, iso 1600, 30 darks, 30 bias, 50% crop
Software: PHD2, DSS, XnView, StarNet++ v2, StarTools v1.3 and 1.7, Cosmological Calculator v3.
NGC 4565 (Caldwell 38), Coma Berenices, (Needle Galaxy)
NGC 4565 (Caldwell 38), Coma Berenices, (Needle Galaxy)
NGC 4565 is an edge-on spiral galaxy in the constellation of Coma Berenices, first documented by William Herschel in 1785. Due to its narrow profile, it is known as the Needle Galaxy. On large scales it is one of the nearest, biggest, and brightest members of the Coma I Galaxy Group. Considerable inconsistencies are found in the literature regarding the apparent and derived properties of this galaxy. According to the NED database, its blue apparent magnitude is 10.42 (8.21 V), and angular size 15.85 arcmin. Its redshift derived distance is 58.5 Mly, and distance based on the median value of 34 redshift-independent distance measurements is 38.47 Mly. Its redshift-based recession velocity is 1,259 km/s, and estimated diameter range between 177,000 and 268,000 light years. Although the galaxy is substantially larger than the Milky Way, its calculated intrinsic brightness is not proportionally higher. Due to its smaller surface area because of edge-on orientation and to thick layers of absorbing dust and gas, its integrated apparent magnitude and calculated absolute magnitudes are significantly lower than expected.
The galaxy's edge-on aspect obscures the nature of the central bulge in the optical band. Infrared studies with the Spitzer Space Telescope suggest the presence of a central bar as well as an inner ring. Meanwhile, the galaxy's orientation allows spectacular view of the dust lanes in the thin galactic disk. Spectroscopic studies of the central region indicate NGC 4565 has an active galactic nucleus of the LINER type powered by accretion around a central supermassive black hole.
NGC 4565 has at least two satellite galaxies. Slightly curved tips of its galactic disk suggest minor gravitational interaction. LEDA 2793674, lying in the foreground, is a small irregular dwarf, less than 10,000 ly in diameter. NGC 4562, in the background, is a minor barred spiral with a gravitationally distorted disk, about one quarter in diameter compared to the Milky Way.
Image details:
Meade 8'' ACF, AP 0.7x compressor (200 x 1400mm)
iEQ30pro mount, Orion 60mm f/4 SSAGpro autoguider
Canon T3i modified camera, Astronomik L3 filter
OSC 25 x 300 sec subexposures, iso 1600, 30 darks, 30 bias, 50% crop
Software: PHD2, DSS, XnView, StarNet++ v2, StarTools v1.3 and 1.7, Cosmological Calculator v3.