M61 Galaxy in Virgo

[DarkerSky]

With a 6-day old moon and heavy dew / mistiness following rainfall earlier in the day I wasn't sure how much success I would score last night with fainter objects.

Managed to track down the M61 galaxy in Virgo at mag 9.7 in my 16" LB. Used an old Lumicon LPR filter which is past its best, but it did enhance the view.

This galaxy is a biggie in the EP. It is a spiral that stretches 100,000 light years across. A stellar-like central brightening was seen, surrounded by a noticeable core of light that seemed to elongate slightly to the NW especially. The outer halo was extensive with averted vision. Couldn't make out any spiral structure, but to the east a faint field star and a little brighter patch was seen with averted vision. Another faint field star was seen to the SE of the core.

Here is the sketch:

16" Mag x148

LM 5.0 in moonlight

LPR filter

True FOV 0.35 degrees

[lunator]

Seb

Good sketch

You have captured the nebulosity really well.

Cheers

Ian

[Doc]

Another awesome sketch Seb

[barkis]

That is a fine representation indeed. The great thing about you guys who do this work, is it shows that these objects are worth seeking out by others, who may think they can't see them, because you are sketching what is actually visible. Great stuff indeed.

Ron.

[mdstuart]

Yes a fine drawing and as others have said, representative of what you actually see at the eyepiece.

I was looking at M106 last night and the fainter galaxies that surround it. M106 looks like an oval version of your sketch!

Mark

[yeti monster]

Lovely sketch DS.

Virgo galxies are on my fuzzy hunt list.

[DarkerSky]

Thanks for the comments all

I was quite surprised about how big this one looked in the EP.

Yeti, I'd recommend M64 Black Eye galaxy in your fuzzy hunt if you're in that part of the sky and you've got a dark location. Had to pick the mud off my chin after my jaw dropped on the floor seeing that one recently!