Galaxies Archives - Page 3 of 4

Abell 2151 Hercules Galaxy Cluster

7/25/2009 8:45 PM Latitude: 43° 31′ 21″ North Longitude: 122˚ 52’ 35” West. 4658 ft. Snow Peak 25 miles S/E of Cottage Grove. OR. Seeing: E Transparency: 7 Telescopes / Optics: TEC 140 f/7 980mm. Mount : AP1200 Camera: SBIG ST10XME CFW9; 4 hours 20 minutes, LRGB 20min,10 min. & 5 min. subs; RGB 4 x 5 min ; FOV 106’ x 72’ Filters: Astrodon LRGB E series. Information: My attempt at a “ Deep Field” with 5.5” refractor and using 20 minutes Luminous exposures for the 1st time. I was amazed at what showed up! I have counted over 150 galaxies in this field. Used CCDSoft, CCDStack, AIP, Photoshop.

Abell 2151 Hercules Galaxy Cluster

The Hercules Galaxy Cluster Abell 2051 is a cluster of approximately 100 galaxies. An astounding 500 to 650 million light years away. This amazing Galactic Cluster resides within the constellation of Hercules. The brightest galaxy NGC 6050 , an interacting spiral galaxy 24″ x 18″. NGC 6050 is dim at magnitude 15.4. It is also known as NGC 6050A and NGC5060B. Data on this Abell Cluster continues to change, as more is learned. Most current information lists a general distance of 509 million light years and 300 member galaxies.

I am amazed what a 5.5″ APO Refractor (TEC140 ED)can do and coupled with an SBIG ST10XME CCD (KAF3200 CCD Chip) can really go deep. The camera is one of the most sensitive front illuminated CCD chips available. The ST10ME has a quantum efficiency is around 85-86% at peak.

This attempt of my own Deep Field began after setting up remotely in Oregon for one night. Going as deep as I could and took over 4 hours of CCD images, capturing as many galaxies as possible. My Luminous frames were 5, 10 and 20 minutes long. So far I have counted over 200 plus galaxies in this image and continue to find more. There are so many tiny specs, when compared to a Hubble Telescope image, they are in fact galaxies. Some of these background galaxies could be over a billion light years away. In perspective, that would mean a 5.5″ amateur telescope and CCD went back one twelfth the age of the Universe…

One can see several interacting galaxies that are within the Hercules Cluster. While larger instruments can resolve greater detail , I am pleased with what a small telescope can accomplish in one night.

Leo Trio of Galaxies M65, M66 & NGC 3627

4/20/2009 12:02:57 AM . Latitude: 43° 48′ 17″ North Longitude: 122° 42′ 45″ W. 3411 ft. Eagles Ridge; 25 Miles South of Dexter, Oregon. Seeing: E Transparency: 7. Bortle: 2 SQM: 21.88. Telescopes / Optics: TEC 140 f/7 APO fl 980mm. Mount : AstroPhysics 1200 GOTO. Camera: SBIG ST10XME; 2 Hours 45 minutes; LRGB ( L=120 min; RGB= 45 min.). 300 sec sub-images. FOV: 0º 52’ 12” x 0º 35’ 24”. Information: Used CCDSoft, CCDStack, AIP, Photoshop.

The Leo Trio of Galaxies is located in the rear leg area of the Constellation LEO, the lion. They are situated halfway between the stars Chertan (3.3 magnitude) on top and 78-Iota Leonis magnitude 4.46, on the bottom. They form a small group of galaxies 35 million light years away. Shinning at magnitude 10.3, 9.7 and 9.4 respectfully, they are visible through a good pair of binoculars or small 4-6″ telescope. Wide field eyepieces produce a stunning view of the Leo Trio of Galaxies in larger aperture instruments of 12-16″.

NGC 3628 is an edge on galaxy discovered by William Herschel in 1784. Estimated at 300,000 light years across and 35 million light years away. Apparent magnitude of 10.2 and 15′ x 3.6′ (arc minutes) in size. This Galaxy is also known as the Hamburger Galaxy or Sarah’s Galaxy and is a great example of an unbarred spiral galaxy discovered by William Herschel in 1784.

M 65 Galaxy NGC 3623 (Upper Right) and apparent magnitude 10.25 and 8.7′ x 2.45′

M 66 Galaxy NGC 3627 (Lower Right) 95,000 light years across, 8.9 mag. 9.1′ x 4.2′

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy NGC 5197

M51 NGC 5194 Galaxy — Whirlpool Galaxy M51 NGC 5194

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy NGC 5197

3/20/2009 9:10 PM Latitude: 44°03’00.0″North Longitude: 123°05’0.0″West, 380 feet/116 meters, Backyard- Eugene, OR. Seeing: VG Transparency: 5 SQM:19.91 Bortle: 5. Telescopes / Optics: TEC 140 f/7 980mm Mount: AstroPhysics 1200 GOTO. Camera: SBIG ST10XME CFW 9. FOV: 52’ x 35’ Filter: LRGB Astrodon E series Information: L-5min. X 24 RGB 5 min. x 4 Total 3 hours. Captured with CCDSoft, processed AIP4Win, CCDStack, PhotoShop. Amazing what a CCD can do in light polluted Bortle 5 skies!

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy NGC 5197
The Whirlpool Galaxy M51, is located within the constellation Canes Venatici (Hunting Dogs). Just down 3.5° from the last star of the handle of the Big Dipper (URSA Major).

M51 lies 23 million light years from earth and is viewed by amateurs and professionals alike. Several background galaxies are also visible in the image. The Whirlpool Galaxy M51 (14.2 x 9.5 arc minutes) is interacting with it’s companion Galaxy NGC5195 (8.9 x 7.4 arc minutes). Both galaxies have a magnitude of 8.35 & 9.49 respectfully. They are not visible to the unaided eye. The Whirlpool Galaxy is approximately 60,000 light year across. They do show up in good quality binoculars.

Charles Messier discovered M51 on October 13,1773. William Parsons, in 1845, using a 72″ reflecting telescope in Ireland, discovered the Whirlpool Galaxy had a spiral structure. It was considered a nebula until Edwin Hubble established that these so called nebula were really separate and distinct galaxies. Hubble accomplished this by observing Cepheid variables in the early to mid-twentieth century.

Today a good 150mm (6″) telescope can reveal the spiral structure of M51 the Whirlpool Galaxy. Good quality binoculars will show the Whirlpool Galaxy M51a a fussy spot.

Note:

The edge-on galaxy lower right is IC 4263 (UGC8470), magnitude 15.7 and 1.8 x 0.4 arc-minutes in size, it lies 18 arc minutes South of M51.

M 101 NGC 5457 Galaxy

M 101 Galaxy NGC 5457 Pinwheel Galaxy in Ursa Major 7/26/2009 12:05 AM Latitude: 43° 31′ 21″ North Longitude: 122˚ 52’ 35” West 4658’. Snow Peak 25 miles S/E of Cottage Grove. OR. Seeing: E Transparency: 7 SQM: 21.96 Bortle:2 Telescopes / Optics: TEC 140 f/7 980mm Mount : AstroPhysics 1200 GOTO. Camera: SBIG ST10XME CFW9; 4 hours 20 minutes, L= 20min.x7, 10min. X 3 & 5 min.x6 ;RGB 4 x 5 min ; Filters: Astrodon LRGB E series FOV 52’ x 35’. Information: CCDSoft, AIP4Win, CCDStack & PhotoShop; Many background galaxies can be seen between spiral arms of M101

Galaxy M101 (NGC 5457) is located in the constellation Ursa Major (The Great Bear). This spiral galaxy, also called “The Pinwheel Galaxy”, is magnitude 7.86 and is 28.6′ x 26.5′ in size. This shows up well in medium sized scopes at a dark sky site. Galaxy M101 is 21 million lights years distant & 170,000 light years across with 1 Trillion stars. Discovered by Charles Messier March 27, 1781.

The longer you image this galaxy, more details continue to surface while arms continue to grow in size. The hundreds of background galaxies that are visible is astounding. This is because we are looking out and up from the central region of our own Milky Way Galaxy which obscures our view of space.

I have estimated that some of these background galaxies are 20-50 times more distant.M 101 is one of the best face-on spirals visible through amateur telescopes. This galaxy is comparable to the size of our own Milky Way Galaxy. M101 has 5 prominent companion galaxies: NGC 5204, NGC 5474, NGC 5477, NGC 5585 & Holmberg IV. The gravitational interaction of these have shaped M101

M31 NGC224 Andromeda Galaxy

Image Captures Information:

M31 Original imaging information

9/20/2009 10:46 PM Latitude: 43° 31′ 21″ North Longitude: 122˚ 52’ 35” West 4658 ft. Snow Peak S/E of Cottage Grove. OR. Seeing: E Transparency: 7 Telescopes / Optics: TMB 80mm f/ 4.8 384mm Mount : AP1200 Camera: SBIG ST10XME 3.5 hours; LRGB; L=120min (10 & 5 min) RGB 1.5 Hours (3x10min ea.). FOV 133.4′ x 89.5′ Information: Really tried to go deep into M31 and very satisfied with the results from a 3.1” refractor. Hope to add Ha channel in the future. Captured with CCDSoft, processed with CCDStack and Photoshop.

M31 Additional Imaging information

10/23/2022 10:03 PM Latitude: 33° 29′ 01.48″ North Longitude: 116° 43′ 19.24″ West. Elevation: 4321 ft. Jupiter Ridge #4 Observatory, OCA site, near Anza, CA. Seeing: E Transparency: 6 SQM: 20.78 Bortle: 4 Telescopes / Optics: TMB 80mm f/ 4.8 384mm. Mount: AP1200 Camera: SBIG ST10xme CFW10 FOV: 133.4′ x 89.5′. Filter: Astrodon L series E Gen. 2 & 9nm Ha Total time 65 min. Information: M31 image captured with CCDSoft; Subs- L= 5 minutes x 3 (15), Ha= 10 minutes x 5 (50)-20°c. Processed with CCDStack, Photoshop CS6 & PWP8. Add previous data from 9/20/2009 L-2 hours, RGB 1.5 hours + 10/23/2022 65 min. Total 275 min or 4.5 hours.

M 31 (NGC224) Andromeda Galaxy

The Andromeda Galaxy is readily visible from a dark sky location as a fuzzy patch of light covering approximately 3+ degrees or 6 times the width of our moon. Andromeda is approximately 2.5 million light years from Earth and 220,000 light years across. Making it much larger than our own Milky Way galaxy at only 100,000 lights years across. In about 5 billion years both our Milky Way galaxy and Andromeda will collide and begin to coalesce, perhaps evolving into an even larger elliptical type galaxy. This image reveals much detail and numerous globular star clusters and nebulae are visible. Amazing for just a 3.2 diameter refractor, but Thomas Back (TMB) was a primer Telescope Maker and his designs live on.

Images below reprocessed with data captured on 10/23/2022 and previous data.

Click full screen on movie below and view.

M31 2022 by Sam Pitts

M31 movie shows resolution captured with just an 80mm refractor zoomed in to background SC Galaxy PGC 90494/ 2MFGC511

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is M31-cropped-PGC-90494-1-1200x800.jpg

M31-Andromeda Galaxy By: Sam Pitts 10/23/2022 10:03 PM Latitude: 33° 29′ 01.48″ North Longitude: 116° 43′ 19.24″ West Elevation: 4321 feet; Jupiter Ridge #4 Observatory, OCA site, near Anza, CA. Seeing: E Transparency: 5 SQM: 20.78 Bortle: 4 Telescopes / Optics: TMB 80mm f/6 @ f/ 4.8 384mm Mount: AP1200 Camera: SBIG ST10xme CFW10 (KAF3200) FOV: 133.4′ x 89.5′ Filter: L=135min (10 & 5 min) RGB =1.5 Hours (3x10min) Ha= 5x10min (50)-20°c Information: Captured with CCDSoft Processed: with CCDStack, Photoshop CS6 & PWP8 Total exposure time = 275min / 4 ½ hours NOTE: Data from 9/20/2009 included with new data taken 10/23/2022.