Spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices
When observed through a telescope of medium or large aperture under dark skies, NGC 4565 is a very impressive sight. The long spindle shape of this edge-on galaxy can extend across the eyepiece's entire field of view, and its dark lane can be seen cutting through the bright nuclear region. This galaxy's distance is not known with great precision, but it is estimated to be about 42 million light years away.
To the lower right in this photo is a smaller oblong galaxy, NGC 4562.
| Magnitude | 10.3 |
| Apparent Size | 15.9' x 1.9' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 42 million |
| Right Ascension | 12:36.3 |
| Declination | +25 59 |
| Field of view | 29' x 22' |
Image details: Exposure times of 60 minutes luminance and 30 minutes each of red, green, and blue, taken with an SBIG ST-8300M imager and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/6.
April 2016