M94 in Canes Venatici – the Croc’s Eye Galaxy

About the Object

M94 in Canes Venatici - sometimes also called the croc's eye galaxy or the cat's eye galaxy - is a fairly complex galaxy. It features an outer and an inner ring, there is considerable star formation (blue stars and H_alpha regions) in its inner region, complemented by strong molecular features. The center probably hosts a pseudo-bulge and exhibits weak nuclear activity, which classifies M94 as a so-called LINER galaxy.

Observation Notes

From the imaging point of view, M94 is not an easy target owing to its dynamic range, but thanks to @David Payne and @Mike Cranfield  the weak other ring can be pushed without overblowing the complex inner structure.

Data were taken in 2024 May 11,1213,14,15

Technical Details

View the full-resolution image together with complete acquisition and processing details on AstroBin.