NGC4631 - The Whale Galaxy and NGC4656 - The Hockey Stick Galaxy

 
 
 
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NGC4631 and NGC4656
 
   
  • RA: 12:42.08 and 12:43.58
  • Dec:  +32:32.3 and +32.10.05
  • Magnitude: 9.3 and 10.4
  • Size: 15.5 x 2.7 arc min and 13.8 x 3.3 arc min
  • Constellation:  Canes Venatici
  • Scope: 8" SCT at f/10
  • Autoguider: ST-4 faint mode
  • Sky conditions:  Good seeing and very good transparency.
  • Camera: Hap Griffin Modified Canon 350XT @ 800
  • Exposure: 9 x 10 minutes
  • Date:  April 17, 2010

Comments:  The temperature was in the mid-30s.  NGC 4631 (top center) is a huge edge-on spiral galaxy, which is apparently distorted by its small elliptical companion, NGC 4627. This pair has been included in Arp's Catalog of Peculiar Galaxies as Arp 281. NGC 4656 (right center) is a large spiral galaxy, which is significantly distorted by the interaction with its large neighbor NGC 4631.