WWW.ASTRONOMY.COM 53A crowded field
Our first object is the Silver Streak Galaxy (NGC 4216). It lies at
the western edge of the Coma-Virgo Cluster of galaxies. From a
dark site, a 10-inch telescope will reveal several hundred galaxies
here, so take your time and be sure of your identification.
NGC 4216 appears as a magnitude 10 streak of light nearly
five times as long as it is wide (7.8' by 1.6'). The core is bright, but
to see its bulge will require a 12-inch or larger scope. Look for
12th-magnitude NGC 4206 12' to the southwest of NGC 4216. It
has a similar appearance to its brighter neighbor.
The next target is M61, the first of four Messier objects on our
list. It glows at magnitude 9.7 and measures 6.0' by 5.9'. This is a
face-on spiral galaxy; however, its arms wind tightly around the
M61
M104
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