It's galaxy season
tl;dr - A rare clear spring night allowed our astronomy group to capture 16 distant galaxies across the constellations Leo, Coma Berenices, Virgo, and Canes Venatici. Using a spontaneous observing approach and three-minute exposures, we explored the rich morphological diversity of galaxies under an exceptionally dark sky. In spring we rarely have suitable weather conditions for astronomical observations. As so often, the exception proves the rule: in March and the first days of April 2026 we were blessed with quite clear skies. Thus, on April 8, we set out to fish for distant galaxies in the "deep waters" of the constellations Leo, Coma Berenices, Virgo, and Canes Venatici. Spring is the perfect season for this endeavor. The winter Milky Way sets early, while the summer Milky Way does not rise until after midnight. This opens up a vast stretch of sky with little obstruction by dust and foreground stars. Here, where the North Galactic Pole lies, the line of sight goes straigh...