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Hockey Stick Galaxy (NGC 4656)
irregular galaxy in Canes Venatici
The Hockey Stick Galaxy, NGC 4656, is a long, twisted galaxy that is paired with the Whale Galaxy (NGC 4631) in Canes Venatici. Its curved shape comes from a close encounter that pulled one end into a bend. Together with NGC 4631 and NGC 4627, the group makes a lovely wide-field target.
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// Key facts
- Catalog
- NGC 4656
- Type
- irregular galaxy
- Constellation
- Canes Venatici
- Size
- 15′ across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 10.4
- Distance
- about 24 million light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Apr
- Typical prime months
- Jan to Jun
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Filter
- No filter (broadband); a light-pollution filter is optional
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How to image Hockey Stick Galaxy
- NGC 4631 and NGC 4656 fit together in a frame of about 1 degree (400 to 700 mm).
- Both are faint galaxies, so a dark sky and a few hours of exposure make a big difference.
- Good for spring evenings, when Canes Venatici is high.
Framing: what focal length?
NGC 4656 is small, so a "60% of the frame" focal length would be impractical. Here is how much of an APS-C frame it covers at common long focal lengths; expect to crop.
| Focal length | Share of the frame width |
|---|---|
| 1,000 mm | about 19% |
| 2,000 mm | about 37% |
| 3,000 mm | about 56% |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point NGC 4656 reaches in the sky. Above about 60° is excellent, 30° to 60° is workable, and under 30° you are looking through a lot of air.
| Latitude | Highest point | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 55°N (Scotland, Alaska) | 67° | High in the sky |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | 77° | High in the sky |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 87° | High in the sky |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 83° | High in the sky |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 23° | Stays low |
Also worth imaging
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