Messier 63 (also known as M63, NGC 5055, or the Sunflower Galaxy) is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici consisting of a central disc surrounded by many short spiral arm segments. M63 is part of the M51 Group, a group of galaxies that also includes M51 (the ‘Whirlpool Galaxy’).

• Imaging telescopes or lenses: Gso RC 10″ GSO
• Imaging cameras: FLI MicroLine 8300 CCD-camera FLI
• Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach1AP GTO with GTOCP3
• Guiding telescopes or lenses: 90mm Guidescope Guidescope
• Focal reducers: Astro Physics CDDT67
• Software: Pixinsight 1.8
• Filters: Baader 2″ Ha 7nm,  Baader 2″ Green, Baader 2″ Blue,  Baader 2″ Red,  Baader 2″ Lum
• Accessories: Starlight Xpress lodestar 2
• Resolution: 3027×2002
• Dates: April 24, 2015,  April 25, 2015,  April 26, 2015
• Frames:
  Baader 2″ Blue: 10×300″ -35C bin 2×2
  Baader 2″ Green: 10×300″ -35C bin 2×2
  Baader 2″ Ha 7nm: 6×300″ -35C bin 1×1
  Baader 2″ Lum: 18×600″ -35C bin 1×1
  Baader 2″ Red: 10×300″ -35C bin 2×2
• Integration: 6.0 hours
• Avg. Moon age: 6.44 days
• Avg. Moon phase: 40.21%
• RA center: 198.942 degrees
• DEC center: 42.037 degrees
• Orientation: 173.647 degrees
• Field radius: 0.257 degrees
• Locations: Home Observatory, Home, Worcestershire, United Kingdom

Author: Patrick (Paddy) Gilliland

SPONLI is a project about astrophotography, for amateur astronomers.