NGC 5746 is a nearly edge-on SAB(rs)b? sp spiral in eastern Virgo. It is about 89 million light-years away by redshift. Non-redshift measurements average out to about 86 to 95 million light-years, a rather good agreement. It was first recorded by William Herschel on February 24, 1786. It is in the original H400 program. My log entry from May 17, 1985 with my 10" f/5 on a fairly good night hit by humidity using up to 120x reads: "Beautiful edge-on galaxy. Gradually brighter toward the nucleus which seems off center. A winner. In the same field with NGF 5740." NGC 5740 was also seen by William Herschel that night but it isn't in my image (would have fit) nor is it in either of the H400 projects.

Chandra saw a 120,000 wide halo of rather featureless light around the core region of the galaxy. Even with a 60,000 light-year radius, it doesn't extend across the entire galaxy. Based on the Chandra image I get a distance to the galaxy of 95,000 light-years and a size of a bit over 200,000 light-years. This is one huge galaxy. The Chandra image is at http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2006/n5746/ Chandra puts it at about 100,000 light-years. I suppose that could fit the 95,000 light-years I get from their broad estimates.

This was one of my very earliest images and leaves a lot to be desired. 4th magnitude 109 Virginis just out of the field sent in a huge blue halo I didn't have the ability to deal with. Sometime I hope to take it with NGC 5740 but don't hold your breath.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=6x10' RGB=1x10', STL-11000XM, Paramount ME