frank5817
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Reged: 06/13/06
Loc: Illinois
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A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
#3113643 - 05/19/09 12:59 AM Attachment (64 downloads)
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This is a nearly face-on spiral galaxy (M 94) with a very bright nuclear region. Just beyond that bright core there is a dramatic region of star formation and another in the outer reaches.
If you can spot third magnitude Alpha Canum Venaticorum (Cor Caroli) you should be able to see this galaxy with a 6 inch scope even in an urban sky environment.
Charles Messier added this galaxy to his catalog on March 24, 1781 after Pierre Méchain discovered it 2 days earlier.
Sketching:
M 94 (NGC 4736)
Date and Time: 5-18-2009, 4:10-4:40 UT
Scope: 10” f/5.7 Dobsonian. 24 mm eyepiece 60x
8”x12” white sketching paper, 2H, HB, 4H graphite pencils,
blending stump, scanned and inverted
Seeing: Pickering 8/10
Transparency: Average 4/5
Faintest stars visible overhead 4.3
Temperature: 10°C (50°F)
Galaxy magnitude: 8.2
Distance: 15 mly
Location: R.A. 12h 51m
Dec. +41° 7'
Frank McCabe 
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JimPie
sage
Reged: 11/10/07
Loc: S.E.Michigan
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: frank5817]
#3113678 - 05/19/09 01:28 AM
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Frank
Thats a nice sketch , you captured the brighter patches in the outer area very well. M94 has always looked like it almost has a an outer ring to me.
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rolandlinda3
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/24/06
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: JimPie]
#3113711 - 05/19/09 02:01 AM
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Very nice, Frank...and at the right time for me. We may make it a target for Sat evening with a group. Roland
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JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy
Reged: 09/19/08
Loc: Utah
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: rolandlinda3]
#3114745 - 05/19/09 02:09 PM
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Frank,
Well done. I agree with Roland, its been awhile since I looked at M94. If weather is good I'll break a new scope (dob) in on it (so blame me if the weather is bad). Now to get my scanner working on Saturday (or buy a new one but the wife knows I can fix em) so I can start to do some scanning of sketches I've done over the last couple of weeks. Anyway, excellent sketch Frank.
Edited by JayinUT (05/19/09 02:19 PM)
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frank5817
Postmaster
Reged: 06/13/06
Loc: Illinois
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: JayinUT]
#3115062 - 05/19/09 04:24 PM
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Jim, Roland and Jay,
The brightest galaxies are the only ones I can see from my home site. That said it is always a treat to look out these great distances and see that starlight reaching my eye. Thanks guys for the kind comments. 
Frank
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rolandlinda3
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/24/06
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: JayinUT]
#3115110 - 05/19/09 04:48 PM
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Jay, don't know what your situation is but we needed to buy a scanner because many are not compatible with VISTA. So we got another one (only about $100) but it came packaged with Photoshop Elements, which is very nice and helpful when it comes to sketching. Might want to keep this in mind if it is similar to your situation. Ours is a EPSON Perfection 4490; works like a charm, and Photoshp Elements is $80 if bought separately.
...and, we do plan to go after 94 on Saturday in the Mojave Desert with a C8/astro video combo. Hope to sketch it.
Roland
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Tommy5
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/28/04
Loc: Chicagoland
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: rolandlinda3]
#3115419 - 05/19/09 07:45 PM
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great sketch of a cool brighr galaxy, perhaps i will look for this one this week, Jay i also have vista with a Lexmark scannor, i had to go on the lexmark website and download a free drive to get it to work, try looking n the website of the company that made the scannor, chances are many folks also have vista and are in the same fix your in so there should be a way to get it to work,it's a shame that the vista updrade can be a downgrade, anyway back to Frank's post.
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frank5817
Postmaster
Reged: 06/13/06
Loc: Illinois
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: Tommy5]
#3116022 - 05/20/09 02:55 AM
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T5,
Thanks. This is galaxy you can find on a night of poor transparency.
Roland,
Do post your M-94 sketch if you can after your Saturday observation.
Frank
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Tom Machtemes
super member
Reged: 06/09/08
Loc: Evergreen Park, Ill.
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: frank5817]
#3116528 - 05/20/09 11:16 AM
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Frank,
That's a nice sketch 
Tom
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rodelaet
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/06
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: frank5817]
#3117214 - 05/20/09 05:35 PM
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Frank,
Very nice capture of M94!
You did a great job on the bright nucleus embedded in a fainter halo. 
Thank you for sharing.
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rolandlinda3
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/24/06
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: frank5817]
#3117545 - 05/20/09 08:41 PM
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Will do. Hope it works out. This group has never really observed before and sketching will be new to them, but I am going to try to get them to take a stab at it with me using a wee little monitor and astro video. RB
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frank5817
Postmaster
Reged: 06/13/06
Loc: Illinois
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: rolandlinda3]
#3117614 - 05/20/09 09:23 PM
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Tom and Rony,
Thank you both.
During the summer when I want to see a bright galaxy, I know I can go to this one.
Frank
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CarlosEH
Postmaster
Reged: 01/19/05
Loc: Pembroke Pines, Broward County...
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: frank5817]
#3117907 - 05/21/09 12:14 AM
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Frank,
An excellent observation and report of M94 in Canes Venatici. The bright core (nucleus) and diffuse halo are well rendered. Thank you for sharing it with us all.
Carlos
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frank5817
Postmaster
Reged: 06/13/06
Loc: Illinois
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Re: A Bright Galaxy Beyond Canes Venatici ( M 94)
[Re: CarlosEH]
#3118459 - 05/21/09 09:41 AM
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Carlos,
I thank you for those words. Clear skies and dark nights to you good doctor.
Frank
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