
M63, also known as the Sunflower Galaxy (NGC 5055), is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. Its distance from Earth is estimated at about 25 to 30 million light-years. M63 has a diameter of approximately 50,000 to 65,000 light-years.
The name “Sunflower Galaxy” comes from the numerous knotted regions in its spiral arms, which are star-forming areas and luminous gas clouds.
M63 is a member of the M51 galaxy group and shows, in deep exposures, an extended stellar stream that indicates the accretion of a dwarf galaxy in the past.
The central region of the galaxy is very bright and hosts an active nucleus, and along the spiral arms, numerous star-forming regions are visible.
Aufnahmedaten
| Object | M 63 (NGC 5055) |
| Name | Sunflower Galaxy |
| Object Type | Spiral Galaxy |
| Constellation | Canes Venatici |
| Distance | Approx. 25-30 million light-years |
| Diameter | Approx. 50,000-65,000 light-years |
| Recording Date | March 2025 |
| Recording Location | Garden Observatory Rödermark |
| Telescope | Omegon Ritchey-Chretien Pro RC 203/1624 OTA |
| Focal Length | 1624 mm |
| Corrector | TS Optics Corrector for RC-Telescope 2” |
| Mount | ZWO AM5 N Harmonic Equatorial Drive |
| Camera | ZWO ASI 2600 MC Pro Color |
| Control | ZWO Asiair Plus 256GB |
| Guiding Camera | ZWO ASI 220 MM Mini Mono |
| Filters | Optolong L-Pro |
| Exposure Time | 10h 55min |
| Calibration | Darks, Flats, Darkflats |
| Image Processing | PixInsight, Adobe Photoshop |