NGC 4631 & NGC 4656

Higher resolution image

Image information:

Date: 03/07/2025
Equipment: Moravian C1+ 12000A camera through APM/LZOS 105/650 APO telescope with IDAS HEUIB-II filter on Pegasus Astro NYX-101 mount. The telescope was working at f6.2 with Astro-Tech 2" field flattener.
Image type: OSC
Exposure time: 70X180s, gain 40.
Comment:  

Object information:

Object designations:
  • Whale Galaxy, NGC 4632, Caldwell 32
  • Crowbar Galaxy, Hockey Stick Galaxy, NGC 4656
Object type:
  • NGC 4632 - barred spiral galaxy
  • NGC 4656 - barred spiral galaxy
Object size:
  • NGC 4632 - 15.5' X 2.7'
  • NGC 4656 - 12' X 1.5'
Constellation:

Canes Venatici

Comment:

NGC 4631 is a spiral galaxy that we see edge-on. Its slightly asymmetrical shape gives it the appearance of a whale. That's where its nickname comes from. It contains regions of intense starbirth recognizable by red color of ionized hydrogen emissions and also bluish regions with young star clusters. It is some 25 Mly distant from us and has a diameter of 120 kly. Close to the NGC 4632 is a dwarf elliptical galaxy NGC 4627.

NGC 4656 is a distorted edge-on spiral galaxy. Due to its shape it is called the Hockey Stick Galaxy or the Crowbar Galaxy. "Hook" at the end of NGC 4656 has its own designation NGC 4657, because it was assumed before that it is a separate galaxy. This unusual shape is due to gravitational interaction with NGC 4631 and NGC 4627. It is some 25 Mly distant from us and has a diameter of 79 kly.

NGC 4631, NGC 4625 and NGC 4656 belong to the same group of gravitationally bound galaxies (NGC 4631 group).

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