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rodelaet
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/06
Loc: 50°56' N - 4°58' E (Belgium)
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M63, with a 4 inch refractor.
#3132608 - 05/28/09 04:18 PM Attachment (68 downloads)
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M63, the Sunflower Galaxy
I could easily detect M63 at lowest power of 17x, next to a shiny star of 9th magnitude. With each higher power, the view became more interesting but also more confusing. M63 displayed a tenuous and elongated halo which gradually brightened towards the core. The nucleus appeared much brighter again and definitely not stellar. It looked rather granular. The more time I spent at the eyepiece, the better I could reveal some mottling in the faint halo. It appeared to me that the halo was growing larger with the time. The mottling in the halo suggested that the core was surrounded by concentric oval rings, or was that an illusion?
The sketch was made at 100x.
Site : Bekkevoort, Belgium ( 51° N )
Date : May 26, 2009
Time : around 22.30 UT
Scope : Skywatcher 102/500mm achromatic refractor
Eyepiece : Baader Hyperion 5mm
Magnification : 100x
FOV: 41’
Filter : none
Seeing : 3/5
Transp. : 4/5
Sky brightness : 19.93 magnitudes per square arc second near zenith (SQM reading).
Nelm: 5.7
Sketch Orientation: N up, W right.
Digital sketch made with Corel Paint Shop Pro X2, based on a raw pencil sketch.
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frank5817
Postmaster
Reged: 06/13/06
Loc: Illinois
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Re: M63, with a 4 inch refractor.
[Re: rodelaet]
#3132877 - 05/28/09 06:48 PM
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Rony,
A truly beautiful sketch that hints at the view in a large scope under very good sky conditions. This is a galaxy that improves the longer you stay with it as you have described.
Always impressive drawings when you post.   
Frank 
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JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy
Reged: 09/19/08
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Re: M63, with a 4 inch refractor.
[Re: frank5817]
#3133126 - 05/28/09 09:22 PM
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Rony,
Ditto to Frank's comments. As always, I enjoy viewing your work.
I noticed you used a Baader Hyperion 5mm to view this. I picked one up for my birthday in April and of course, haven't been able to use it. Do you enjoy it?
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cildarith
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/26/04
Loc: San Diego, CA
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Re: M63, with a 4 inch refractor.
[Re: JayinUT]
#3133135 - 05/28/09 09:27 PM
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Another excellent sketch, Rony! Keep 'em coming! 
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Special Ed
Postmaster
Reged: 05/18/03
Loc: Greenbrier Co., WV 38N, 80W
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Re: M63, with a 4 inch refractor.
[Re: cildarith]
#3133160 - 05/28/09 09:51 PM
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Rony,
An impressive and skillfull observation with 100mm of aperture. With your binocular and small scope sketches, you are really training your eye to look for detail. Last summer, I got the chance to look at some DSO's through a friend's 16" Lightbridge at a dark site--I hope you get the same opportunity and have your sketch materials with you.
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Re: M63, with a 4 inch refractor.
[Re: Special Ed]
#3134835 - 05/29/09 08:08 PM
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Rony, this is a superb rendition of the Sunflower Galaxy.  I've imaged it in the past and your description of the mottled core and extensive spiral arms is right on. Beautiful sketch! 
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Tommy5
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/28/04
Loc: Chicagoland
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Re: M63, with a 4 inch refractor.
[Re: kraterkid]
#3135117 - 05/30/09 12:08 AM
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Very nice sketch of this bright galaxy.
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