The Black Eye Galaxy, also known as Messier 64 (M64) or the Evil Eye Galaxy, is a fascinating spiral galaxy located about 17 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. It gets its name from a prominent dark band of absorbing dust that sweeps across one side of its bright nucleus, giving it the appearance of a black eye.
Here are some interesting facts about the Black Eye Galaxy:
- Discovery: It was discovered in 1779 by the English astronomer Edward Pigott.
- Structure: The galaxy has a unique internal motion where the gas in the outer regions rotates in the opposite direction to the gas and stars in the inner regions. This unusual behavior is likely due to a merger with a smaller satellite galaxy over a billion years ago.
- Star Formation: The collision of oppositely rotating gases leads to the formation of new stars. The galaxy’s core is surrounded by hot, blue stars and pink clouds of glowing hydrogen gas.
- Visibility: With an apparent magnitude of 9.8, it can be observed with a moderately sized telescope.