As we say goodbye to Galaxy Season this year, the Silver Sliver Galaxy is a fitting send off. This galaxy is a non-barred spiral galaxy seen edge-on. It is around 100,000 light years across and sits about 30 million light-years away in the constellation Andromeda. It was first discovered by William Herschel in 1784. Due to its near perfect symmetry, it is believed to have never (yet) collided with another galaxy. While the Silver Sliver Galaxy can be spotted through large binoculars, it is best observed through an 8-inch or larger telescope. Though circumpolar in our higher latitude, the best viewing time is during the autumn and winter months.
For trivia buffs, the galaxy gained prominence in 1974 when it was featured in the song “When Twilight Falls on NGC 891” for the soundtrack of John Carpenter’s cult classic movie Dark Star. Also, Edgar Froese, founding member of Tangerine Dream, wrote “NGC 891” for his Aqua album while performing solo, also in 1974… Why the Silver Sliver Galaxy received its 15 minutes of fame in 1974 is anyone’s guess.
This image was captured by BPAA member Chuck Wraith from a backyard in Sequim, WA using an 11” SCT reflector telescope.
