NGC 4605 is a small, irregular galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major, about 16 million light-years away from Earth. It was discovered by the famous astronomer William Herschel on March 19, 1790.
This galaxy is classified as a barred irregular galaxy, which means it doesn’t have the neat, spiral structure seen in galaxies like the Milky Way. Instead, it has an uneven, slightly distorted shape with no clear arms. A central bar of stars cuts across its middle, which is where much of its star formation happens.
NGC 4605 is part of the M81 Group, a collection of galaxies that also includes the well-known spiral galaxy M81. Galaxies in this group are close enough to interact with each other through gravity. These interactions can tug and pull on each galaxy’s shape, which is likely one reason why NGC 4605 looks so irregular.
In terms of size, NGC 4605 is much smaller than the Milky Way. It stretches about 17,000 light-years across, compared to the Milky Way’s 100,000 light-years. Despite its smaller size, it’s quite active. It has regions of intense star formation, where new stars are being born in large numbers. These areas shine brightly in ultraviolet and infrared light.
Published: Apr 10, 2025
Total integration: 5h 10m
Integration per filter:
- LP: 5h 10m (155 × 120″)
Equipment:
- Telescope: Celestron NexStar 8SE
- Camera: ZWO ASI294MC Pro
- Mount: Juwei 17
- Filter: Optolong L-Pro 1.25″
- Software: Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight, Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
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