NGC 5364 & NGC 5363: Behind the Lines

Satellite interference can sometimes impact astronomical imaging efforts. One notable instance here is revealed an intricate galactic portrait despite the presence of excessive satellite trails.

NGC 5364, positioned in the left center, is a spiral galaxy situated within the constellation Virgo. It features distinctive swirling arms and a luminous core, categorizing it as a grand design spiral galaxy. Grand design spiral galaxies are characterized by their prominent, well-defined arms that extend outward from a distinct core. This classification is rare, with only ten percent of spiral galaxies fitting this category.

NGC 5364 exhibits some asymmetrical in its arms compared to other grand design spirals. This irregularity is likely a result of interactions with the nearby lenticular galaxy NGC 5363, located at the right center. Known colloquially as "The Alligator's Eye", is distinguished by its dust lanes and is approximately 63 million light years away. NGC 5364 is approximately 67 million light years distant, while NGC 5360, another lenticular galaxy situated at the lower left, is around 64 million light years away.

Planewave 24" with Moravian C5 camera taken at Obstech, Chile

LRGB-Ha, 53x300 RGB, 61x600Lum, 40x600 HA

 SWOS group: Mazlin, Parker, Forman, Magill, Hanson

Image Processing: Hanson

Enjoy, Mark