H-NGC5746
Galaxy in Virgo
About
A barred spiral in Virgo seen almost edge-on, about 99 million light-years away and some 194,000 light-years across. Its boxy bulge is the bar seen from the side. Chandra data once seemed to show a huge halo of hot gas around it, but later work found no such cloud.
Imaging tips
- About 8′ long and thin, it suits 3030–5050 mm on APS-C.
- One imager gathered 19 hours 39 minutes: 60 luminance subs of 10 minutes plus 193 colour subs of 3 minutes, and the top of the bulge looked double-humped.
- Another imager used 15-minute luminance subs on a 24-inch scope, noting the galaxy is rarely imaged.
- NGC 5740, a nearly face-on barred spiral, shares one imager’s frame with it. Broadband suits both; best around April and May, peaking near 42° altitude from 50°N.
Facts
- Size
- 8′ × 2′
- Magnitude
- 10.3
- Coordinates
- RA 14h 44.9m, Dec +1° 57′
- Framing, APS-C
- 3030–5050 mm
- Framing, full frame
- longer than 4000 mm
- Best months
- Apr, May
- Peak altitude
- 42° from 50°N, 57° from 35°N