M63: The Sunflower Galaxy
Explanation:
One of the bright
spiral galaxies visible in the north sky is M63, the
Sunflower Galaxy.
M63, also catalogued as NGC 5055, can be found with a
small telescope in the
constellation of
Canes Venaciti.
Visible in the
above picture are long winding
spiral arms glowing blue from a few bright young stars,
emission nebulae
glowing red from hot ionized
hydrogen gas, and dark
dust in numerous filaments.
M63
interacts gravitationally with
M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy) and
several smaller galaxies.
Light takes about 35 million years to reach us from
M63,
and about 60,000 years to cross the
Sb-type spiral galaxy.
Stars in the outer regions of the
Sunflower Galaxy rotate about the center at a
speed so high they should fly off into space,
indicating that some sort of invisible, gravitationally-binding,
dark matter is present.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
