NGC 4565 (April 2018)

NGC 4565 appears in the constellation Coma Berenices but is around 44 million light years away.  It is a very large spiral galaxy, which we see nearly edge-on.  It is famous for the dust lane and how its thin shape seems to taper away to nothing at the ends, which are actually extended spiral arms.

The galaxy in the upper left is NGC 4565A and is perhaps 3 million light years closer than 4565.  The piece of fluff directly below the center of 4565 but about level with the lower tip of 4565's left end is IC 3571, perhaps 20 million light years further away.  Other little galaxies in the image shine from hundreds of millions of light years' distance.

This image is 69x480", about 9.2 hours, through the ONTC-Synta Newtonian at f/4.95, with the SXVF-H9C camera and an Astronomik CLS filter.

NGC 4565 (April 11, 2011)

This interesting galaxy is a popular target for imagers because we see it nearly edge-on. The roundish central bulge and the prominent dust lanes are interesting features, and the galaxy is relatively bright because we see it from the side---the combined light of stars across the galactic plane. NGC 4565 is between 34 and 72 million light years away. Several distance estimates cluster around 40 million light years. The galaxy is also the most prominent member of a small group of galaxies clustered in its area.  My favorite image of this galaxy is Stan Moore's, here; it was not taken from the city, as mine was.

Telescope: Orion 10" f/4.7 Newtonian
Camera & Exposure: SXVF-H9C, 35x10'
Coma Corrector: Baader RCC I
Filter: IDAS-LPS2
Guiding: Orion Deluxe OAG, Meade DSI Pro, PHD
Mount: Takahashi NJP
Software: Nebulosity, Maxim DL, Photoshop CS3
Location: The Woodlands, TX