Getting a Black Eye in Coma Berenices

M64 (NGC 4826) The Black Eye Galaxy
Sketch and Details by Kiminori Ikebe, translation by Mr. Eiji Kato

M64 (NGC 4826) a Coma Berenices galaxy

Sketch and details by Kiminori Ikebe translation by Mr. Eiji Kato

Date of observation: 2001/05/21 21:46 UT
Observing site: Makinoto, Japan
Transparency/seeing/sky darkness: 3/2/4
Instruments: 32cm Dobsonian with RA8 at 190x
Width of field: 0.31 degree

This is a galaxy southeast of the Coma Berenices Cluster. I sketched this galaxy soon after I acquired the 32cm Dobsonian, but I tried it again.
It is bright and large. There is a small core-like condensation at the center with a sharp stellar nucleus. The surface brightness very gradually and smoothly falls toward the outer regions, which resembles the smoothness of cream. The outline of the galaxy is difficult to determine, as it fades into the background brightness.
A dark lane runs east-north around the nucleus. It is quite clear and with a longer look, it will look like an image in photographs. The dark lane is bent in the middle.

Kiminori Ikebe