M63 · Sunflower Galaxy
| Chinese name | 向日葵星系 |
|---|---|
| Type | Galaxy |
| Constellation | CVn |
| RA | 13h16m |
| Dec | +42° |
| Apparent magnitude | 8.6ᵐ |
| Hemisphere | Northern |
| Best season | Spring |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Focal length | 长焦 1000mm+ |
About
The Sunflower Galaxy lies about 27 million light-years away in Canes Venatici and is a flocculent spiral. Instead of grand sweeping arms, it has many short, tightly wound arm segments knit into a petal-like pattern, hence its name. A member of the M51 group, it contrasts a golden bulge against a disk peppered with blue clusters and dust patches. Deep exposures reveal faint stellar streams encircling it, tidal remnants of dwarf galaxies it has absorbed. Finely textured at long focal lengths, it is a popular spring galaxy in Canes Venatici.