The Blow Dryer Galaxy.

[Gordon]

The name is what caught my attention!

NGC 4312 is an edge-on spiral galaxy in the northern constellation Coma Berenices. If you look deep there's a bunch of galaxies in the image!

Captured with my SW254N, EQ6g and ZWO ASI533MC. 13 each 60 seconds.

[kt4hx]

Very nice Gordon, a beautiful image and worthy of the APOD in my view. That is the first time I'd heard that nickname and just highlights to me why I am not a fan of them!

Edit: Doing some more research, I find that M100 is actually called the Blowdryer - which kinda makes more sense. But that said, I do see references to NGC 4312 and believe that is a case of a typo error. M100 is NGC 4321 and the edge-on galaxy at the right side of the frame is NGC 4312. I think the numbers got crossed in some folks mind, thus the confusion. It just didn't make sense that the real NGC 4312 would get a nickname like that. But then again, I don't like it for M100 either!

Edit #2: I just found out the galaxy I labeled in your image as NGC 4322 is incorrect! It should be NGC 4323, while NGC 4322 is quite likely a 13th mag field star 5.7' northwest of the center of M100. I blame Sky Tools 3 for that error - they led me astray!

Anyway, the main galaxy in your image, M100 is beautiful, with nice structure. NGC 4312 at the right edge is a fine flat galaxy indeed. I attached an annotated copy of your image below, highlighting the main galaxies in the field. Beyond that there are still numerous others down in there. A fine field indeed. Well done!

Blow dryer Galaxy NGC 4312_annotated.jpg (29.75 KiB) Viewed 1248 times

[Lady Fraktor]

Very nice image Gordon with many objects to look at!
I must admit though, like Alan I have never heard that name before.

[Graeme1858]

A fine M100 Gordon.

Does anyone other than Stellerium call M100 the Blowdryer Galaxy?

Regards

Graeme

[Gordon]

A fine M100 Gordon.

Does anyone other than Stellerium call M100 the Blowdryer Galaxy?

Regards

Graeme

I don't know, but it was what attracted me to the galaxy.

[Gordon]

@kt4hx Alan,

The only reason I imaged this was to test out why I was getting the light glow on the May 2021 DSO challenge images I was attempting to capture.

viewtopic.php?f=83&t=17890

[kt4hx]

A fine M100 Gordon.

Does anyone other than Stellerium call M100 the Blowdryer Galaxy?

Regards

Graeme

Yeah, after looking it up I've seen it mentioned by various people, even in Astronomy magazine. But prior to that I've not seen that name used since I pay little attention to nicknames anyway.

[messier 111]

very nice , never seen that before , thx

[MariusD69]

Awesome! Great job, Gordon!

[Butterfly Maiden]

Fabulous photo Gordon

The name certainly caught my attention too

[jthommes]

A fine M100 Gordon.

Does anyone other than Stellerium call M100 the Blowdryer Galaxy?

Regards

Graeme

Cool image Gordon. Yeah there seems to be a lot of internet references to this name. The NASA/IPAC EXTRAGALACTIC DATABASE (NED) keeps a list of common names for certain galaxies in its database:

https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/CATALOGS/naga.html

[Ylem]

Incredible image

I also have never heard of the "Blow Dryer".

[XCalRocketMan]

Excellent image of M100. I have this one in the can for post processing Your's came out wonderful. It is a bright galaxy so its fairly easy to get without too much trouble.

[Jockinireland]

Nice image Gordon. I had this on my list too but as I'm out of astro-dark for the next couple of months it will have to be be next year.