M 64 - Black-Eye Galaxy

M64, also known as the Black-Eye Galaxy (NGC 4826), is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices. Its distance from Earth is estimated at about 16 to 19 million light-years. Its diameter is approximately 53,000 to 70,000 light-years, making it somewhat smaller than our Milky Way.

A characteristic feature of M64 is a prominent dark dust band in front of the bright galactic core, which gives the galaxy its striking “black eye” appearance and its name, Black-Eye Galaxy. This pronounced dust structure is considered the result of a past collision with a smaller gas-rich satellite galaxy. This event created two counter-rotating gas disks: the inner gas and stars rotate in the opposite direction to the outer regions of the galaxy, a rare dynamical feature among spiral galaxies.

The central region appears very bright and shows active star formation, particularly along the prominent dust structures in the transition zones where the oppositely rotating gas regions meet.

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