The Blackeye Galaxy - Messier object 64 (NGC 4826 in Coma Berenices)
The conspicuous dark structure is a prominent dust feature obscuring the stars behind. This dark dust feature was discovered by William Herschel who observed M64 twice in 1785 and 1789, and already compared it to a "Black Eye." The distance of this galaxy seems to be not very well determined, and a "best guess" puts it at 19 million light-years.
Messier 64 May 22 &
23, 2008,
22:20 - 01:14 hrs
Meade 14” LX200GPS @ f/3.3, Meade DSI III Pro, 55°F air temp.
16 X 120 sec L, RGB binned 2 X 2, 10 X 60 sec ea R, G & B -
all with integrated dark frames.
80mm Orion f/11.3 guidescope with Meade DSI II Color – 2 sec
exposures/corrections
Stacked in Registax, processed in PhotoShop
Wishing Star Observatory hgp