Messier 61

61 final

Object:   M61  (NGC 4303) Date:               2018 May 10
Type:  Spiral galaxy
Constellation:           Virgo Time & altitude:        23.15 UT      36º
Catalogue data: Seeing (5 high):                               3/5
            R.A:                12h 22m Transparency (5 high):                   3/5
            Dec:                4º 28 Telescope:     0.5m f4.1  Dob.
            Magnitude     9.7 Eyepiece       8mm Ethos                x260
            Size (mins)    6 x 5 Filters:            None

Notes:

There is a stellar core set in a round, mottled halo. There are faint traces of a bar running more or less NS plus bright knots at each end. The halo fades abruptly to the sky background. There is a (say) 14th mag star on the W edge of the halo. Just S of this star is a second, marginally brighter star.