Messier 63

63 final

Object:   M63 (NGC 5055) Date:               2019 March 25
Type:              Spiral galaxy
Constellation:           Canes Venatici Time & altitude:          21.40 UT   55º
Catalogue data: Seeing (5 high):                               4/5
            R.A:                12h 51m Transparency (5 high):                   4/5
            Dec:                41º 07 Telescope:     0.5m f4.1  Dob.
            Magnitude     8.6 Eyepiece       8mm Ethos                x260
            Size (mins)    12 x 8 Filters:            None

Notes:

This galaxy is larger than M94 nearby, and has much less surface brightness. The nucleus is tiny, almost stellar. There is no visual evidence of spiral structure. The halo is asymmetric with a clear edge on the S side, perhaps due to an invisible dust lane. Elsewhere the halo fades out to the sky background. The halo does not quite reach to the 9th magnitude star W of the galaxy. The sector of the halo on the N side seems fainter than the general halo illumination.