Object Information:                   NGC 4565
                                                 Mag. - 9.6
                                                 Spiral Galaxy Type - Sb?
                                                 Constellation - Coma Berenices
                                                 Location - R.A. 12:36.3,  Dec. +25.59
                                                 Distance -  31 million light years [more or less],

Description:   NGC 4565 is a member of the Coma I Galaxy Cloud and is considered to be the finest example of an edge-on galaxy.  This galaxy is a spiral that is oriented nearly edge-on to our line of view.  The dark line that lies through the center or core of the galaxy is dust and gas, contained within the galaxy, that blocks off the light from the core.  Dust can also be seen in the spiral arms to either side of the core.

Radial velocity measurements show that NGC 4565 is receding away from us at an approximate speed of 1,282 kilometers per second.  This galaxy's edge-on absolute magnitude is -20.3 with a luminosity of 11 billion suns [these figures would be much higher if this galaxy were seen face on].

Estimates of the size of NGC 4565 range from 90,000 light years [Burnhams] to 125,000 light years [The Night Sky Observers Guide].

This image is the result of a collaboration between myself and my friend Larry Moss, who provided and ran the SBIG ST-7E camera for the luminance component of this image.

Imaged at:                               Dan Diego Astronomy Association site at Tierra Del Sol, San Diego County, California,
                                               Elevation -  4000 feet [Luminance component]

                                                Valecitos County Park, Anza Borrego Desert, San Diego County, California [color].

Equipment:                              Optics - Takahashi MT-160 at f/6.3
                                               Mount - Losmandy G-11,
                                               Camera - Santa Barbara Instrument Group (SBIG) ST-7E  ABG CCD (luminance),

     SBIG ST-7E NABG - Color components,

Guider:                                    SBIG STV

Exposure Information:            

                                            Luminance - January 12, 2002 - Stacked sum of four 15 minute exposures,

                                            Color - January 12, 2003 - 3 x 15 min. - red, 3 x 15 min. - green, 3 x 24 min. - blue,

Image Acquisition Software:    CCD Soft Version 5,

Image Processing Software:     AIP for Windows - data frame calibration, CCD Soft - color frame combination, PhotoShop 7 - final image processing and luminance layering.

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All the images in this site are © Copyright 2003 by Dean Jacobsen.
Any use of these images without the prior written consent or knowledge of the author is strictly prohibited.
Contact Dean at deanjacobsen@adelphia.net  for more information.