- Constellation: Draco
- Right Ascension: 17h 20m 12.4
- Declination: +57° 54′ 55″
- Distance: 260,000 ly
A bit difficult to see, it was only noticed in 1954 from Palomar sky survey photographic plates. It is a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way galaxy.
Consisting of mostly old population stars its virtually dust free thus not creating very many new stars.
Annotated image follows.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: Explore Scientific 127 Refractor
- Camera: ZWO 2600 MM
- Constellation: Cetus
- Right Ascension: 00h 34m 46.751s
- Declination: −08° 23′ 47.36″
- Distance: 76 million
NGC 157 is a spiral galaxy with somewhat distorted arms located in the constellation of Cetus. Discovered by William Herschel in 1783. Many other distant galaxies are visible in this area notated by PGC numbers.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: Explore Scientific 127 Refractor
- Camera: ZWO 2600 MM
- Constellation: Canes Venatici
- Right Ascension: 12h 50m 53.1s
- Declination: +41° 07′ 14″
- Distance: 16 million
Messier 94 or sometimes referred to as the Cat's Eye or the Croc's Eye galaxy it is a spiral galaxy with distinct inner and outer rings. Several theory's on how it came about, but no definite answer. The inner ring is around 50,000 light years in diameter with the outer ring extending adding another 30,000 light years to the diameter.The galaxy contains some 40 billion stars. Located in Canes Venatici and is around 16 million light years away. It is the primary member of the M94 galaxy group that contains 16 to 24 galaxies.
Discovered by Pierre Mechain on March 2, 1781.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: Explore Scientific 127 Refractor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM
- Constellation: Virgo
- Right Ascension: 12h 29m 46.7s
- Declination: +08° 00′ 02″
- Distance: 56 million ly
Messier 49 is a giant elliptical galaxy located in Virgo. Part of the Virgo B sub cluster of the Virgo super cluster, it was the first member of the cluster identified. The galaxy stretches across 157,000 light years and contains over 200 billion stars. It also has some 5,900 globular clusters. Having no signs of large scale star formation, it mostly consists of older yellow and red stars giving it a pale yellowish color. It is currently interacting with dwarf irregular galaxy UGC 7636.
Discovered by Charles Messier in 1777.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: Explore Scientific 127 Refractor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM
- Constellation: Ursa Major
- Right Ascension: 10h 01m 57.8s
- Declination: +55° 40′ 47″
- Distance: 50 million ly
NGC 3079 - A barred spiral located in Ursa Major. Higher resolution images show bubbles forming above and below the nucleus formed by intense star formation.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: Explore Scientific 127 Refractor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM
- Constellation: Sculptor
- Right Ascension: 00h 47m 33s
- Declination: −25° 17′ 18″
- Distance: 10 million ly
NGC 253, aka Sculptor Galaxy, aka Silver Dollar Galaxy.One of the brightest galaxies visible, but a bit low in the sky for Northern observers. About 11 million light years away and a diameter of 90,000 light years. Also one of the dustiest and is undergoing intense star formation.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: ZWO A071 Color