Why does this galaxy glare at us? According to a new study, the prominent dust lanes of the Black Eye Galaxy, or M64, most likely formed due to a merger with a smaller dwarf galaxy. This theory is supported by the fact that the outer gas shell rotates in the opposite direction to the internal region, and that the internal region is experiencing new star growth.
Acquisition Date: April 4-May 10, 2023
Acquisition Site: San Carlos, CA
Subframes: L 119 x 300s (2×2 binning), R 58 x 300s (2×2 binning), G 64 x 300s (2×2 binning), B 65 x 300s (2×2 binning), 25 hours 30 minutes total integration
Equipment: ZWO ASI2600MM-Pro, PlaneWave CDK12.5, Astro-Physics 1200GTO, Astrodon LRGB
Software: Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, SharpCap, PixInsight, Apple Photos