M64 is often called "The Black Eye Galaxy" due to its prominent dust lane, but I prefer its other nickname: "Sleeping Beauty". It was discovered by Johann Bode and by Edward Pigott in 1779, and by Charles Messier in 1780 (each one independently of the others). The dust lane was discovered by William Herschel in 1785.
The main spiral has a middle-age star population, but it is actually composed of two systems of stars and gas, rotating in opposite directions: the inner part is 3000-6000 LY across, rubbing against the outer section which extends out to 40,000 LY across. The dust lane contains blue knots where star formation is taking place.
The unusual composition of this galaxy could indicate that it is a merger of two spiral galaxies, and has not yet “settled down”.
M64 is about 20 million light years away, in the direction of the constellation Coma Berenices.
nice pic.