Object name: M063
Designation(s): M063,
M63 is a rather famous galaxy in Coma Berenices often called the Sunflower Galaxy. It is thought to be about 35 to 37 million light-years distant. It was found by Pierre Méchain on June 14, 1779 and immediately reported to Charlies Messier who recorded it in his catalog the very same day. It is one of the first spiral galaxies to be seen as a spiral. Deep photos show star streams especially to the north as faintly seen in this image: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1608/M63LRGBVermetteR.jpgAn HST image of the core flocculent region can be seen here: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1611/M63_Hubble_1098.jpgWhat happened to the galaxy that created these. Some sources say it is UGCA 342 which is the squiggle seen below a bright star right of the galaxy in the above photo. But this is apparently incorrect. It appears no one can answer this question. You can read more about it at http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0004-6256/142/5/166The night I took this image back in April 2007 was very poor and my image fails to pick up much of the galaxies outer regions. I need to retake it with a lot more time. For now, this will have to do.14\" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10\' RGB=2x10\', STL-11000XM, Paramount ME
Permanent link: http://images.mantrapskies.com/catalog/MESSIER/M063/M63L4X10RGB2x10R2.JPG
Alternate Designation(s): 11HUGS 332, 1RXS J131549.3+420154, 2MASX J13154932+4201454, 6C B131336.1+421732, 7C 1313+4217, 87GB 131334.7+421742, 87GB[BWE91] 1313+4217, AKARI J1315493+420146, B3 1313+422, CGCG 1313.5+4217, CGCG 217-023, HDCE 0706 NED085, IRAS 13135+4217, IRAS F13135+4217, ISOSS J13158+4201, LDCE 0867 NED135, LGG 347:[G93] 002, M063, MCG +07-27-054, MESSIER 063, NGC 5055, NGC 5055:[LB2005] X01, NGC 5055:[RPS97] 04, NGC 5055:[RW2000] X-05, NGC 5055:[RW2000] X-07, NSA 143199, PGC 046153, RGB J1315+420, RX J1315.8+4201, RX J1315.8+4201:[BEV98] 028, RX J1315.8+4201:[ZEH2003] 01 , SDSS J131549.26+420145.8, Sunflower Galaxy, UGC 08334, UZC J131547.9+420201, [FS2003] 0667, [GMM2009b] 60, [H92] 26, [M98j] 170 NED71, [SLK2004] 0810, [WB92] 1313+4217,