M63 The Sunflower Galaxy

This is an image of the Sunflower Galaxy in Canes Venatici.

 

Discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1779 it lies at approaching 30 million light-years from earth and is some 100,000 light-years across. It was catalogued by Charles Messier as M63. The galaxy is also catalogued NGC 5055.

 

The galaxy has been given its moniker because of its resemblance to the dense, seedy head and overlapping petals of a Sunflower!

 

M63 is what is known as a flocculent spiral galaxy. These galaxies are characterised by their patchy, feathery, flaky or lumpy disjointed arms giving a mottled appearance. The Sunflower has only 2 spiral arms but the flocculate appearance makes it hard to define them.

 

Surprisingly, flocculate galaxies actually make up 30% of spiral galaxies with only 10% being grand design spirals - the more common perception of what a galaxy should look like!

 

A prominent dust lane is visible in the galaxy at front left.

 

Imaged with a Skywatcher Esprit 120ED and a ZWO 2600MC camera.

 

A total of 7.0hr exposure over 3 nights April 2021, March 2022 and March 2024.

 

Calibrated with Temp. matched darks, Flats and Dark Flats.

 

Thanks for looking!

 

 

 

Done