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Date: March. 19-20, 2026 - Location: Dark Sky Observatory, Fort Davis, TX Telescope: 16 inch RC - Camera: FLI 16803 Exposure: LRGB filters = 18 x 300s each - RGB for star color = 15 x 60s each Click on the image below to view at higher resolution. |
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Messier 94 (NGC 4736) is a spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici located about 16 million light-years from Earth.[1] The galaxy is distinguished by a complex ringed structure. As such, M94 is classified as a resonance ring galaxy shaped by internal gravitation dynamics[5]. Most prominent in the image above is the bluish region surrounding the nucleus which contains M94's circumnuclear starburst ring. This ring is composed of a zone of concentrated recent star formation of young hot stars[3]. Outside this active inner region is a warmer, brownish, ring dominated by older, cooler stars. A faint outer ring encircling the central galaxy structure is visible[2]. This appears to be a low density halo structure. This layered, and ring like appearance, of M94 is thought to arise from the galaxy's internal gravitational dynamics, likely involving resonances associated with an oval core distortion or weak central bar. The dynamics of this morphology organizes gas into preferred regions and promotes ring-like star formation[2,5].
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References
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