Deep Sky Object in Spring
NGC4631 & NGC4656 (Galaxies in Canes Venatici)

Click on image to enlarge

Date & Time: Apr 13 2024, from 23:05 to 24:40 JST(+0900)
Mosaic of 2 flames of 6min.×8shots
Optical: Meade 25cm(10") Schmidt-Cassegrain with conversion lens (f=1600mm, F6.3)
with IDAS LPS-P1 Light-pollution suppression filter
Auto-guided with Meade LX200 Equatorial & Lacerta M-GEN
Digital Camera: Nikon D810A
Location: Ooizumi, Hokuto city, Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...14bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(4080×4080)
Device Size...20×20mm
Sensitivity...ISO4000, White Balance...Daylight


NGC4631 / Galaxy, type SB(s)d III
R.A.12h 42m 11.4s (2000.0)
Dec.+32° 32' 39" (2000.0)
Apparent Size15.5×2.7'
Radial Velocity+683km/s
Magnitude9.8
Distance22.5 million light yrs.
Group of GalaxiesNGC4631 Group
Other IDsUGC7865, MCG6-28-20,
CGCG188-16, PGC42637
Arp 281
NGC4656 / Galaxy, type SB(s)m pec IV
R.A.12h 43m 57.9s (2000.0)
Dec.+32° 10' 18" (2000.0)
Apparent Size15.0×2.9'
Radial Velocity+683km/s
Magnitude10.6
Distance22.5 million light yrs.
Group of GalaxiesNGC4631 Group
Other IDsUGC7907, MCG5-30-66,
PGC42863
This image shows you two unique-shaped galaxies around the south edge of Canes Venatici. Upper right-hand and lower left-hand ones are NGC4631 and NGC4656 respectively. Both of them are being edge-on.
Though they are typical spiral galaxies, fairly strained by the gravitational exchange each other. NGC4631 has the apparent length of 15.5 arc minute and the magnitude about 10, its slender shape is clearly seen with small telescopes. But NGC4656 is a bit dimmer with the magnitude of 10.6, should be needed a medium-sized telescope. I associate these galaxies floating in the dark universe with two fishes sailing.
The galaxies lie on about 22 million light years away. And you can notice a tiny satellite galaxy of NGC4627 snuggling up to the north of NGC4631.



NGC4565
NGC4725

Copyright(c) 2024 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved.
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