THE FIRMAMENT: M64

Spiral Galaxy M64 (NGC 4826), type Sb, in Coma Berenices

RA 12 : 56.7 (h:m); DEC +21 : 41 (deg:m); Distance 19 million light years;
Visual Brightness 8.5 (mag) ; Apparent Dimension 9.3x5.4 (arc min)

M64 is the famous Black Eye galaxy, sometimes also called the "Sleeping Beauty galaxy". The conspicuous dark structure is a prominent dust feature obscuring the stars behind. This feature also enables one to determine, or at least estimate, which of the galaxy's sides is nearer and which more remote; in case of M64, it seems that the southern side is nearer to us.

Source and more: SEDS

April 11, 2007 21:22 - 22:28 UT.
Imaged with LX200 10-inch f/10 telescope with 0.33 Focal Reducer and filterwheel operating at f/4.92 [focal length 1230mm], Astronomik LRGB filters; ATK16IC b/w camera, K3CCDTools.
Exposures: Luminosity 5x120s; RGB 6x45s 2xbinned; autoguided with SC3 camera on William Optics Zenithstar 80 ED II APO.

April 5, 2006 22:12 - 22:39 UT.
Imaged with LX200 10-inch f/10 telescope with 0.33 Focal Reducer operating at f/4.06 [focal length 1015mm], Vesta Pro-SC3a b/w RAW mode, Baader Infra Red Blocking Filter.
33 autoguided exposures of 40 seconds.

	April 11, 2007 21:22 - 22:28 UT. Imaged with LX200 10-inch f/10 telescope with 0.33 Focal Reducer and filterwheel operating at f/4.92 [focal length 1230mm], Astronomik LRGB filters; ATK16IC b/w camera, K3CCDTools. Exposures: Luminosity 5x120s; RGB 6x45s 2xbinned; autoguided with SC3 camera on William Optics Zenithstar 80 ED II APO.
	April 5, 2006 22:12 - 22:39 UT. Imaged with LX200 10-inch f/10 telescope with 0.33 Focal Reducer operating at f/4.06 [focal length 1015mm], Vesta Pro-SC3a b/w RAW mode, Baader Infra Red Blocking Filter. 33 autoguided exposures of 40 seconds.