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M 106 & NGC 4217 on 2024-01-19+20

This photo was taken in my backyard in Kyle, Texas through a 6-inch Sky-Watcher f/4 Telescope, on a Sky-Watcher EQ6-R mount, with a ZWO ASI533MC PRO color camera. The total image acquisition time is: 9 hours 1 minute 0 seconds.

M 106, also labeled NGC 4258, is the largest galaxy in this picture. NGC 4217 is the second largest galaxy and is near the top. It appears as an edge-on galaxy with a dark dust lane. M 106 is about 22 to 25 million light-years away from our Earth. M 106 contains an active nucleus classified as a Type 2 Seyfert, with a central supermassive black hole. Its neighbor, NGC 4217 lies farther away at about 60 million light-years from the Earth. If you look carefully, you will notice that as many as 10 other galaxies, possibly more, can also be seen this picture.