Section 4<\/p>\n
Our final section encompasses parts of Canes Venatici, Coma Berenices, and Virgo.<\/p>\n
For a whale of a view, slide about 3.5 east-northeast of NGC 4414 to NGC 4631. Popularly known as the Whale Galaxy, this 9th-magnitude tapered monolith (oriented roughly east to west) is replete with dark vapors in a delicate embrace. Star clumps pepper the 15'-long disk like snowballs on the side of a house. For a triple treat, check out NGC 4627, a magnitude 12.5 dwarf elliptical galaxy 3' to the north, and its equally slender partner, the Hockey Stick (NGC 4656\/7), a magnitude 10.5 edge-on barred spiral 30' to the southeast.<\/p>\n
Next is a different sort of pinwheel. NGC 4725 is a peculiar one-armed spiral a transition system between a normal spiral and a barred spiral that forms one of the most complete rings of any galaxy known. To find this magnitude 9.5 gem, look 2 south and slightly west of 31 Com, which lies near the North Galactic Pole. Through a 4-inch scope, the galaxys inner region displays a bar that connects a bright, broken inner ring surrounded by a fainter lens of light.<\/p>\n
To find our next treat, travel westward to a point 2 due east of 17 Com. There, youll find the Needle Galaxy (NGC 4565). This magnitude 9.5 wafer of light has two 8'-long threads of light extending from the galaxys slightly swollen belly like silk from a spiders abdomen. A 4-inch telescope at high power will resolve NGC 4565s classic dark lane, which cleanly divides the galaxys bright hub into two distinct ovals.<\/p>\n
The last object is the Lost Galaxy (NGC 4535). While relatively bright (magnitude 10.5), this barred spiral is of low surface brightness, so its a challenge to small-scope observers. The 7'-long glow lies 2 northwest of 31 Vir and, in a 4-inch scope, shines as a circular patch of ill-defined light. Views through 12-inch and larger scopes bring out the spirals main, S-shaped arms within what I describe as extragalactic ectoplasm.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
See original here: <\/p>\n
Observe edge-on and face-on galaxies | Astronomy.com - Astronomy Magazine<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Section 4 Our final section encompasses parts of Canes Venatici, Coma Berenices, and Virgo. For a whale of a view, slide about 3.5 east-northeast of NGC 4414 to NGC 4631. Popularly known as the Whale Galaxy, this 9th-magnitude tapered monolith (oriented roughly east to west) is replete with dark vapors in a delicate embrace Continue reading