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. |