SUNSET: 
0
Photographer:
Jon Greif
Location of Photo:
Alpine, CA, USA
Date/Time of photo:
June 4 and May 18, 2024, from 10 pm to 3 am PDT
Equipment:
ZWO SeeStar "Smart" Scope. Processed in Pixinsight 1.8.9.
Description:
This is M64, the Black Eye Galaxy, a relatively isolated spiral galaxy 17 million light-years away in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices. It was discovered by Edward Pigott in March 1779, and independently by Johann Elert Bode in April of the same year, as well as by Charles Messier the next year. A dark band of absorbing dust partially in front of its bright nucleus gave rise to its nickname. M64 is approximately 53,800 light-years in diameter and is estimated to contain 100 billion (with a "B") stars! The galaxy is currently very high in the night sky, allowing imaging even in our currently hazy skies.
