WWW.ASTRONOMY.COM 553 NGC 4214
is an irregular galaxy glowing at
magnitude 9.6 and measuring 8' by
6.6'. Through an 8-inch telescope at
200x, NGC 4214 orients northwest
to southeast. The central region is
long and bright, and the halo is large.
Through larger apertures and higher
magnifications, both appear irregular.
DIETMAR HAGER5 NGC 4395
is a magnitude 10.2 gem nearly 8°
southwest of Cor Caroli (Alpha [α]
CVn). With a size of 13.2' by 11', this
galaxy is 20 percent as large as the
Full Moon. A large scope shows two
star-forming regions in the southeast
part of NGC 4395 that carry their own
NGC numbers. ADAM BLOCK/MOUNT LEMMON
SKYCENTER/UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA7 The Hockey Stick (NGC 4656-7)
spans 14' by 3' and glows at magnitude
10.4. To find it, you’ll need to head 6.6°
south-southwest of Cor Caroli. The
core is the brightest part of the galaxy,
followed by the blade, which lies to
the northeast. NGC 4656’s disk widens
and gets fainter toward the southwest.
DOUG MATTHEWS/ADAM BLOCK/NOAO/AURA/NSF9 The double star Cor Caroli
(Alpha Canum Venaticorum)
makes a nice sight through small
telescopes. The magnitude 2.9
primary glows blue-white, and that
provides a pleasant color contrast to
the magnitude 5.5 yellow secondary,
only 19" away. This double is a great
target for star parties. JEREMY PEREZ11 Irregular galaxy NGC 4449
glows at magnitude 9.6 and has a
high surface brightness and an unusual
rectangular shape, making it easy
to observe. If your seeing is good, an
11-inch scope will help you spot several
concentrations of star-forming activity.
The main one lies north of the core,
and a smaller one is just south. JOHN AND
CHRISTINE CONNORS/ADAM BLOCK/NOAO/AURA/NSF4 M106 (NGC 4258)
is a marvelous spiral that shines at
magnitude 8.4 and is one of the sky’s
brightest galaxies. It spans 20' by 8.4'.
Through a 10-inch or larger telescope,
you’ll begin to see the mottled texture
and spiral structure. The strikingly
linear northern arm appears more
pronounced, while the southern arm
looks more diffuse. TONY HALLAS6 The Cocoon Galaxy (NGC 4490)
glows at magnitude 9.8 and measures
6.4' by 3.3'. This barred spiral appears
as an irregularly bright oval halo that
envelops a bright central region. Look
just 3' north of NGC 4490’s western
end for its magnitude 12.5 companion,
irregular galaxy NGC 4485. ADAM BLOCK/
MOUNT LEMMON SKYCENTER/UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA8 The Spiral galaxy NGC 5033
appears twice as long (10.5' by 5.1')
as it is wide and elongated in a
north-northwest to south-southeast
orientation. It glows at magnitude
10.2. The broad, bright central region
overwhelms the faint spiral structure
through anything less than a 14-inch
telescope. R. JAY GABANY10 The Sunflower Galaxy (M63)
is a magnitude 8.6 gem that reveals
a wealth of detail. Through small
telescopes, the nucleus appears stellar,
and a 3' long oval halo surrounds it.
Through a 10-inch scope, the halo
shows clumpy structure formed by
stellar associations and star-forming
regions within M63’s spiral arms.
DON GOLDMAN12 Spiral galaxy NGC 5005
displays tightly wound spiral arms.
Through an 8-inch telescope, you’ll
pick out the bright stellar core
surrounded by a fainter oval disk.
A 16-inch scope at 300x will let you
see the uneven brightness that marks
the positions of immense dust lanes
in the arms. RAY AND EMILY MAGNANI/ADAM
BLOCK/NOAO/AURA/NSF14 The Whale Galaxy (NGC 4631)
At first glance, the Whale Galaxy, with its bulging core and asymmetrical
material distribution, doesn’t look like an edge-on spiral galaxy. Yet at
magnitude 9.2, this object is one of the sky’s brightest edge-on galaxies.
Through 4- to 6-inch scopes, you’ll see an imperfect lens shape that’s bigger
and brighter on one side. Larger scopes will reveal NGC 4631’s companion —
dwarf spheroidal galaxy NGC 4627, which sits 2.5' northwest. R. JAY GABANY13 The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)
Even in a publication like Astronomy, the Whirlpool Galaxy stands out.
It shines at magnitude 8.4 and measures 8.2' by 6.9'. You’ll see the
spiral arms through 8-inch or larger telescopes. Look for the thin, dark
dust lanes that follow the arms’ inner edges. M51’s companion, NGC 5195,
lies some distance behind the plane of M51’s disk. BOB FERA