received some NGC 4517 data (Halifax)

Wasn't expecting anything as the Clear Sky Chart for Halifax did not look good... No email alert from CSAC. But BGO was up and running I guess and tried to shoot NGC 4517 at 12:28 AM EDT. A message however was generated at 1:02. "Your special observation... was not fully completed!" Uh huh. Only luminance and red data was collected.

Luminance only, 60 seconds subexposures, 10 stacked shots. FITS Liberator, Paint.NET. North is up; east is left.

This needle galaxy in the constellation Virgo is a RASC Finest NGCs. It is referred to as NGC 4437 in some catalogues. Other designations: PGC 41618 and UGC 7694 and MCG 0-32-20. For BGO to work, I had to use the 4517 moniker; in SkyTools 3 Pro, I used 4437.

The edge-on spiral galaxy appears dappled with dark material. Despite the low image quality, it is very interesting. The right edge, west, appears stretched or elongated. Reminds me a bit of The Whale.

North-north-west of the big galaxy, in an empty dark space, is a very faint round smudge: LEDA 1161319.

Very close to a star in a diamond pattern is a round fuzzy, slightly brighter: LEDA 1161987.

To the south-west, there are many small, distant galaxies. Close to 4517 is a small bright almond: LEDA 1156277.

Beyond is a very small but bright round fuzz ball: LEDA 1155353.

South is a larger brighter oval: PGC 41566.

LEDA 1154647 lies to the south-east. It is a curious shape, like a wedge. It might be among 3 or 4 other tiny, faint galaxies!

Further away is LEDA 1153315, a tiny seed-like shape.

LEDA 1156614 is east of the trapezoid of stars south-east of the big spiral. Perfectly round and small.

I also spotted the very tiny faint smudge east of NGC 4517: LEDA 1157892.

Wow.

[ed: First viewed on the evening of Friday 6 May 2016 at the CAO.]

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Wikipedia link: NGC 4517.