Messier 106 (also known as NGC 4258) is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781. M106 is at a distance of about 22 to 25 million light-years away from Earth. M106 contains an active nucleus classified as a Type 2 Seyfert, and the presence of a central supermassive black hole has been demonstrated from radio-wavelength observations of the rotation of a disk of molecular gas orbiting within the inner light-year around the black hole. NGC 4217 is a possible companion galaxy of Messier 106. Besides the two visible arms, it has two “anomalous arms” detectable using an X-ray telescope.
Object Designations: M106, Messier 106, NGC4258
Also known as: (none)
Constellation: Canes Venatici
Object Type: spiral galaxy
Distance: 23.7 million light-years away
Magnitude: 8.4
Discovery: Pierre Méchain
Telescope: Apertura CarbonStar 200 Imaging Newtonian 800mm / F4
Camera: ZWO ASI2600 MC Pro – No Filter
Mount: Celestron AVX – With CPWI Software
Guiding: Apertura 32mm Guide Scope with a ZWO ASI120MM Camera and PHD2
SharpCap Imaging Software
Processing Software
AstroSharp Ltd SharpCap
Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight
Russell Croman Astrophotography BlurXTerminator
Russell Croman Astrophotography NoiseXTerminator
Russell Croman Astrophotography StarXTerminator
Stanley Dimant EZ Processing Suite
