Simcoe Skies Astronomy

M63 - NGC 5055 (the Sunflower Galaxy)

Location: Canes Venatici (Hunting Dogs)
Distance: 37 Million light years
Magnitude: 9.3
Apparent Size: 12.6' x 7.2'

	M63 with DSI-2C camera Date: July 12/09 Camera: Meade DSI-2C Filters: built-in IR filter, Orion SKYGLOW filter Settings: 107 frames; Gain=63; Offset=0 Exposure time: 45 seconds Guiding: Yes - RA only (using Meade ETX-90 and DSI-PRO) Optical Multiplier: 1x Notes: Higher resolution than previous images, and dust lanes are better defined. Competing with 72% illuminated moon. Slightly elongated stars suggest polar misalignment. A shot without the moon and without the filters in future may bring out more detail.
	M63 Latest Image Date: Aug 12/06 Settings: 15 frames, A:0 B:50 Gn:86 Gm:0 T:20s F:5fps Color:R50B25 Camera Mode: RAW Filters: None Optical Multiplier: 1x Notes: The moon was over 80% full and M63 was setting when I took this shot. Amazing detail for only 15 frames. This was my first real run with the camera in RAW mode, which led to the absence of star "ears" and got rid of darkened edges of the galactic core, all artifacts of camera color image interpolation. Additional processing in Photoshop, noise reduction using NeatImage.
	M63 2nd attempt Date: May 27/06 Exposures: 83 Exposure length: 18 seconds Amp on setting: OFF Brightness: 100 Gain: 60 Gamma: 0 Filters: Orion Skyglow Optical Multiplier: .6x Focal Reducer Notes: A longer exposure would bring out more detail.
	M63 Date: July 2/05 Exposures: 32 of 55 Exposure length: 14 seconds Amp on setting: OFF Brightness: 100 Gain: 50 Gamma: not recorded Processing: Acquired, stacked, histogram adjusted in K3CCDtools, noise reduction in NeatImage, color adjusted in Photoshop. Notes: Shot VERY low in the sky, washed out by the atmosphere and rising moon. Nevertheless, some dust lanes are visible.