M63 – The Sunflower Galaxy in Canes Venatici

Telescope: Meade SN10 at f/4, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Canon EOS Ra

Filter: GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Williams Optics 50mm, ASI290MM mini, PHD

Exposure: 81x20sec, ISO 800, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/5sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, poor transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.3 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Backyard EOS, Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

M63 is a beautiful spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici, the Hunting Dogs. It has an exceptionally tight spiral structure with a very beautiful and subtle color. The bright inner core is easy to see in small telescopes, while the outer spiral requires a modest scope and dark skies.

M63 is currently high overhead at dusk.