- Constellation: Pisces
- Right Ascension: 01h 36m 41.8s
- Declination: +15° 47′ 01″[
- Distance: 30 million ly
Messier 74 with its two distinct spiral arms presents a face on view of a "grand design spiral" Sc galaxy. Located in the constellation of Pisces at a distance of 30 million light years, the galaxy contains some 100 billion stars.
Discovered by Pierre Mechain in 1780, he reported it to Charles Messier to be included in his catalog.
Primary member of the small M74 galaxy group, three supernovas have been observed in the galaxy.
Image taken with the 80 mm refractor, and a monochrome ccd camera.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: Atik 314l+
- Constellation: Andromeda
- Right Ascension: 02h 22m 33.4s
- Declination: +42° 20′ 57″
- Distance: 27 million ly
NGC 891 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation of Andromeda.
From our viewpoint it is edge on. It is thought that this is how our Milky Way galaxy would look from that angle, being similar to our galaxy. Interesting enough, our galaxy would be mostly invisible to anything in that galaxy due to the amount of dust and gas from looking through the thick sections of the spiral arms. Most galaxies that we can see are located above or below our own galaxy.
NGC 891 is located some 27 million light years away. Also visible are many distant galaxies, some only appear as smudges. One of the brighter object is NGC 898, at magnitude 13.8, is in excess of 266 million light years away based on its red shifted light.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: Atik 314l+
- Constellation: Cepheus
On the left we have NGC 6939, an open cluster located in the rich star fields of the constellation of Cepheus. It lies at an estimated distance of 3860 light years.
On the right, is NGC 6946, an intermediate spiral galaxy. It is often called the Fireworks Galaxy. Despite being a third smaller than the Milky Way galaxy, it has had a high rate of supernovas in the last century. Nine recorded supernovas, where as the Milky Way averages one per century. It is located at a distance of 18 to 22 million light years away.
Imaged with the ED80CFT refractor, and Atik 314L+ mono ccd.
15 x 300 second exposures through R/G/B filters and 84 x 180 second through Lum filter.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: Atik 314l+
- Constellation: Virgo
- Right Ascension: 12h 42m 02.322s
- Declination: +11° 38′ 48.95″
- Distance: 50 million ly
M59 is an elliptical galaxy located in the Virgo Super Cluster at 60 million light years distance. At a maximum width of 90,000 light years, its one of the larger ellipticals, but still smaller than the more massive M87 at 120,000 light years width. M59 is also home to 1400+ globular clusters.
Imaged with the ED80CFT and Atik 314L+ mono ccd using L/R/G/B filters at 300 second exposures.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: Atik 314l+
- Constellation: Coma Berenices
- Right Ascension: 12h 31m 59.2s
- Declination: +14° 25′ 14″
- Distance: 50+ million ly
M88 is a Sc spiral galaxy about 60 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. Part of the Virgo super cluster of galaxies. Cataloged by Charles Messier on March 18th, 1781.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: Atik 314l+
- Constellation: Leo
- Distance: 300 million ly
Abell 1367 is a galaxy cluster located in the constellation of Leo. Located at a distance of 300 million light years, it contains an estimated 70 to 100+ galaxies. Along with the Coma cluster and other galaxies it forms the Coma super cluster, which is part of a larger structure called the Great Wall that stretches hundreds of millions of light years.
The image consists of 300 and 600 second exposures through L/R/G/B filters over several few and far between clear nights with the ED80CFT refractor, and an Atik 314L+ mono ccd camera. Total integration time was 10+ hours.
- Details
- Category: Galaxies
Read more: Abell 1367 - The Leo Cluster.
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: Atik 314l+