M106
Mar 2, 2021
M106
| Other names | NGC 4258, UGC 7353 |
| Type | Galaxy |
| Distance | 22-25 million ly |
| Size | 150,000 ly |
| Location | Canes Venatici |
| Captured | Mar 2, 2021 |
| Capture type | Broadband |
| Total time | 6 hours |
| Frames | L 30x180', RGB 30x180' each |
| Telescope | Orion 6" Newt F/3.8 Astrograph |
| Camera | ZWO ASI294mm |
| Tripod | Orion Atlas EQ-G |
M106 & Its Companions in the Canes II Galaxy Group
This is an interesting photo. The big galaxy in the middle is M106, but if you look to the right of the big galaxy you’ll see a bunch of smaller galaxies. These all belong to the same galaxy cluster, the Canes II Group, which M106 is the largest.
M106 is very similar in size to Andromeda, and has been critical in helping astronomers determine the distances in the universe. If you want to learn more about this, read about the Cosmic distance ladder