This image shows that even edge-on spirals can be quite different in appearance, when you compare it to NGC 4565 Needle Galaxy (see previous post) in Coma.
NGC 4244 is slightly more elongated (16x1.8 arcminutes) than 4565 (15x2 arcminutes). It contains only a trace of dust lane detail in comparison to the prominent 4565, despite similar magnitudes (10.4 versus 9.6) and surface brightness levels (14.0 versus 13.3).
The real difference is absolute size, as 4244 is only approx 10 million lightyears distant, while 4565 is much further away at around 43 million lightyears. NGC 4565 must be much larger.
This image derived from 2.5h of capture over two nights in April 2019.
ZWO ASI294MC Pro camera through a 200mm Teleskop-Service Ritchey-Chretien reflector.
Date: 20/04/2019
Photographer: Graham Wilcock
