"Black-Eye Galaxy" (Messier 64)

This "shiner" was discovered in 1779 by Bode and again by Messier in 1781.  Looks like a black eye to some folks.  The Galaxy has approximately 20 billion suns in it and is about 25 million light years from our own Milky Way galaxy.

Date: May 8, 2006
Location: Cupertino, CA
Scope: Takahashi FS102 @ 800mm
Guiding: Vixen 60mm refractor with SBIG ST-4
Mount: Losmandy G-11
Camera: SBIG ST2000XM
Filters: Custom Scientific in FLI CFW
Exposure details:
40 minutes red
20 minutes green
20 minutes boue
Processing: MaximDL for calibration, alignment and combining.  PSCS for final processing