A Seyfert Galaxy in Canes Venatici

M106

M106, A Seyfert Galaxy in Canes Venatici
Sketch and Details by Frank McCabe

At a distance of 25 million light years away, M-106 is a bright spiral galaxy with about the same tilt angle as the Andromeda galaxy. This galaxy measures about 30,000 light years across and glows at a magnitude of 8.4. Like M-77 in Cetus this galaxy is a type II Seyfert galaxy. Pierre Méchain found it in July of 1781.
Nearby there is a 12th magnitude edge-on spiral galaxy (NGC 4217) among a group of bright foreground stars. In years past using a 10″ scope, I was able to spot this galaxy before the urban sprawl erased it from my sky.

Sketching:

M 106 (NGC 4258)
Date and Time: 5-18-2009, 4:50-5:25 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: 8.4
Distance: 25 mly
Location: R.A. 12h 19m
Dec. +47° 18′

Frank McCabe

2 thoughts on “A Seyfert Galaxy in Canes Venatici”

  1. Hi,

    Where do You quadratic scope! I want it, too. 😉
    Fine sketch. Is galaxy so bright in 10’’ ?

    Marek
    ps. What do We do with Light Pollution?

  2. Marek,

    Thank you. I do tend to make my sketches too bright. I should spend more time adjusting that and showing the lighter color of the sky glow.
    Street and building lights should all be on motion detectors.

    Frank 🙂

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