NGC 4631 - The Whale Galaxy in Deep Narrowband

NGC 4631 - The Whale Galaxy in Deep Narrowband

Thursday, April 9th, 2026 at 1:51:24 PM · 2026/Astrophotography

This astrophotography image showcases NGC 4631, known as the Whale Galaxy, along with its smaller companion NGC 4656 visible in the lower right. Captured using narrowband filters (SII, Ha, OIII) combined with broadband RGB and luminance data, the image reveals the edge-on spiral galaxy's distinctive elongated shape that resembles a whale. The data was acquired with a ZWO ASI533MM Pro monochrome camera through a TMB-92 APO refractor, totaling 4.9 hours of exposure time. The SHO palette processing reveals structural details and star-forming regions within these distant galaxies.

Chronologically Adjacent

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