Abbreviations- M, million; K,
thousand; LY, light years; Temp, temperature; RH, relative
humidity; DP, dew point; NA, not applicable; FOV- field of view;
AU- astronomical
units (1 AU = distance from Sun to Earth or 93 million miles). |
| Click on the images below to view a larger (1200 x 800) version in a new window. If your screen resolution is less than 1200 x 800, click on the image in the new window to view the full version. |
.jpg)
| NGC 3169
(left), NGC 3166 (middle) and NGC 3165 (small galaxy right)
are three interacting galaxies 57 MLY from Earth in the constellation
Sextans. NGC 3169 and NGC 3165 are spiral galaxies
whereas NGC 3166 is a lenticular galaxy. Gravitational
interactions with NGC 3166 and 3165 have warped the spiral
arms of NGC 3169. |
|
|
|
|
| Object |
NGC
3169/3166/3165 |
| Distance |
57 MLY |
| Constellation |
Sextans |
| Link |
NGC
3169 |
|
|
| Date |
February 24 - 26, 2022 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
40 - 60 F |
| Moon |
Third quarter to waning crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STX16803 |
| Luminance |
4 hours; 24 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
2.5 hours; 15 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
2.5 hours; 15 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
2.5 hours; 15 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| NGC 2903 is a
barred spiral galaxy 30 MLY from Earth in the constellation
Leo. Its size and structure is similar to that of our
galaxy the Milky Way. It has an exceptional rate of new
star formation near its center. NGC 2903 is a member of the
Virgo Supercluster. |
|
|
|
|
| Object |
NGC 2903 |
| Distance |
30 MLY |
| Constellation |
Leo |
| Link |
NGC
2903 |
|
|
| Date |
February 03 - 04, 2022 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
40 - 60 F |
| Moon |
Waxing crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STX16803 |
| Luminance |
3 hours; 18 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| NGC 3190 is a spiral galaxy
79 MLY from Earth in the
constellation Leo. It is one of four galaxies in the
Hickson 44 group that also includes NGC 3187 (blue spiral
galaxy to the right), NGC 3193 (elliptical galaxy above), and
NGC 3187 (barred spiral galaxy below). Gravitational
interactions with other members of the Hickson 44 group have
warped the spiral arms and center of NGC 3190. |
|
|
|
|
| Object |
NGC 3190 (Hickson
44 group) |
| Distance |
79 MLY |
| Constellation |
Leo |
| Link |
NGC 3190 |
|
|
| Date |
January 23 - 25, 2022 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
40 - 60 F |
| Moon |
Waning gibbous to third quarter |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STX16803 |
| Luminance |
8 hours; 48 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
3 hours; 18 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
3 hours; 18 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
3 hours; 18 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| IC 342 is a spiral galaxy
11 MLY from Earth in the
constellation Camelopardalis. IC 342 is relatively
close, large and bright but because it is located near the
plane of our galactic equator (as evident by the number of
stars in the field of view) it is obscured by galactic dust.
Hence, it has been nicknamed "The Hidden Galaxy". |
|
|
|
|
| Object |
IC 342 (The
Hidden Galaxy) |
| Distance |
11 MLY |
| Constellation |
Camelopardalis |
| Link |
IC 342 |
|
|
| Date |
January 19 - 21, 2022 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
40 - 60 F |
| Moon |
Full moon to waxing gibbous |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STX16803 |
| Luminance |
4 hours; 24 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
2.5 hours; 15 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
2.5 hours; 15 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
2.5 hours; 15 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| M81, also
known as Bodes galaxy, is a spiral galaxy 12 MLY from Earth in the
constellation Ursa Major. M81 has a lot of
interstellar dust in its spiral arms that is associated with
star formation, many of which are hot blue stars. Its center contains a supermassive black hole with a mass
about 70 million times that of our sun. |
|
|
|
|
| Object |
M81 (Bodes
Galaxy) |
| Distance |
12 MLY |
| Constellation |
Ursa Major |
| Link |
M81 |
|
|
| Date |
January 04 - 06, 2022 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
50 - 60 F |
| Moon |
Waxing crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STX16803 |
| Luminance |
6 hours; 36 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.gif)
| Here, my
image of M81 (second frame in animation) is compared to that
taken by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) (first frame in
animation). The
HST image was overlayed on the same star background as in
my image. As expected, the HST image has much
better resolution and detail than my image (best seen when
zooming in). |
|
|
|
|
| Object |
M81 (Hubble vs.
my image) |
| Distance |
12 MLY |
| Constellation |
Ursa Major |
| Link |
M81 |
|
|
| Date |
January 04 - 06, 2022 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
50 - 60 F |
| Moon |
Waxing crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STX16803 |
| Luminance |
6 hours; 36 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| M81 (bottom
left) and M82 (top right), also known as Bodes and the
Cigar galaxies, are 12 MLY from Earth in the constellation
Ursa Major. M81 is a spiral galaxy that contains many star forming regions (pink).
M82 has an irregular shape probably due to its gravitational
interaction with M81. Superwinds of hydrogen gas caused by
massive stars and supernova explosions can be seen emanating
from its center. |
|
|
Object |
M81 & M82 (Bodes
& Cigar Galaxies) |
| Distance |
12 MLY |
| Constellation |
Ursa Major |
| Link |
M81 & M82 |
|
|
| Date |
February 05 & 06, 2022 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
40 - 60 F |
|
Moon |
Waxing crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STX16803 |
| Luminance |
3.5 hours; 21 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
2 hours;
12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
2 hours;
12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
2 hours;
12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| M31, also
known as the Andromeda galaxy, is the nearest large galaxy
to the Milky Way approximately 2.5 MLY from Earth in the
constellation Andromeda. M31 spans 3 to 4 degrees in
the night sky (6 to 8 moon diameters) and is estimated to
contain 1 trillion stars. It will collide with the
Milky Way in 4 to 5 billion years. |
|
|
|
|
| Object |
M31 (Andromeda
Galaxy) |
| Distance |
2.5 MLY |
| Constellation |
Andromeda |
| Link |
M31 |
|
|
| Date |
October 28 - 31, 2021 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
55 - 75 F |
| Moon |
Third quarter to waning crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
Takahashi TOA130 @ f7.7 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
13.3 hours; 40 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
4 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
4 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
4 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
-%20new.jpg)
| NGC 891 is an
edge-on spiral galaxy approximately 27 MLY from Earth in the
constellation Andromeda. The many filamentary patterns
seen in the dusty disk (best seen in larger image) may be
the result of supernova explosions that threw interstellar
dust out from the disk and into the halo. NGC 891 is
similar in size and structure to our Milky Way. |
|
|
|
|
| Object |
NGC 891 |
| Distance |
27 MLY |
| Constellation |
Andromeda |
| Link |
NGC 891 |
|
|
| Date |
November 11 - 25, 2017 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
55 - 78 F |
| Moon |
Third quarter to first quarter |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
30.7 hours; 92 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
4 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
4 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
4 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| NGC 6946 is an
intermediate spiral galaxy approximately 22 MLY from Earth in the constellations
Cepheus & Cygnus. From the vantage point of Earth, NGC 6946 is highly obscurred by interstellar matter because it
lies in the Milky Way's galactic plane. In the past
century, 10 supernova have been observed in this galaxy. |
|
| Object |
NGC 6946 |
| Distance |
22 MLY |
| Constellation |
Cepheus & Cygnus |
| Link |
NGC 6946 |
|
|
| Date |
October 13 - 28, 2017 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
55 - 80 F |
|
Moon |
Waning gibbous to first quarter |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
25 hours; 75 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
3 hours;
9 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
3 hours;
9 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
3 hours;
9 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| NGC 2403 is an
intermediate spiral galaxy approximately 8 MLY from Earth in the constellation
Camelopardalis. It is an outlying member of the M81
group and resembles M33 (see below). NGC 2403 contains numerous
star-forming H II regions. |
|
| Object |
NGC 2403 |
| Distance |
8 MLY |
| Constellation |
Camelopardalis |
| Link |
NGC 2403 |
|
|
| Date |
October 13 - 28, 2017 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
55 - 80 F |
|
Moon |
Waning gibbous to first quarter |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
15 hours; 45 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
2 hours;
6 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
2 hours;
6 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
2 hours;
6 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| M94 is 16 MLY from Earth in the constellation
Canes Venatici. M94 is a barred spiral galaxy that has
two rings around it (difficult to resolve in this image).
The inner ring is the site of strong star burst formation.
The outer ring is also active in star formation. |
|
| Object |
M94 |
| Distance |
16 MLY |
| Constellation |
Canes Venatici |
| Link |
Messier
Object 94 |
|
|
| Date |
April 02 - May 02, 2017 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
55 - 80 F |
|
Moon |
Waxing crescent to waxing crescent |
| Seeing |
2.4 - 3.7 arc-sec
(mean 2.96 arc-sec) |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
26 hours; 79 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
4 hours;
12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
4 hours;
12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
4 hours;
12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| M63, also
known as the Sunflower galaxy, is 37 MLY from Earth in the
constellation Canes Venatici. It is ~100,000
LY across and has many short spiral arms that are streaked
with cosmic dust lanes and dotted with pink star forming
regions. M63 belongs to the M51 (see
below) group of galaxies. |
|
|
Object |
M63 (Sunflower Galaxy) |
| Distance |
37 MLY |
| Constellation |
Canes Venatici |
| Link |
Messier
Object 63 |
|
|
| Date |
April 16 - 18, 2015 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear,
50 - 60 F |
| Moon |
Waning crescent to new
moon |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
6 hours, 36 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
3 hours, 18 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
3 hours, 18 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
3 hours, 18 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
| Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| NGC 4038/4039, also
known as the Antennae galaxies, are two colliding galaxies about
45 MLY from
Earth in the constellation Corvus. The two galaxies
were separate 1.2 billion years ago and began colliding
about 600 - 900 million years ago. The collision
causes rapid star formation. Eventually, they will
become one galaxy. |
|
| Object |
NGC 4038/4039 (Antennae Galaxies) |
| Distance |
45 MLY |
| Constellation |
Corvus |
| Link |
Antennae Galaxies |
|
|
| Date |
March 23 - 26, 2015 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Mostly clear, 60 - 70 F |
| Moon |
Waxing crescent
to first quarter |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
4 hours, 24 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
2 hours,
12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
2 hours,
12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
2 hours,
12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| NGC 2841 is a
flocculent spiral galaxy about
46 MLY from
Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. It's referred
to as flocculent because its arms are patchy and
discontinuous. It has properties similar to our
nearest neighbor the Andromeda galaxy. |
|
| Object |
NGC 2841 |
| Distance |
46 MLY |
| Constellation |
Ursa Major |
| Link |
NGC 2841 |
|
|
| Date |
December 26 - 29, 2014 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Mostly clear, 30 - 40 F |
| Moon |
Waxing crescent
to first quarter |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
11.7 hours, 70 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
2 hours,
12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
2 hours,
12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
2 hours,
12 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. Click
here to see distant galaxies. |
.jpg)
| NGC 253, also
known as the Sculptor galaxy, is an intermediate spiral galaxy about
10 MLY from
Earth in the constellation Sculptor. It is a starburst
galaxy, meaning it is undergoing a period of intense
star formation. It is one of
the brightest galaxies in the night sky. |
|
| Object |
NGC 253 (Sculptor Galaxy) |
| Distance |
10 MLY |
| Constellation |
Sculptor |
| Link |
NGC 253 |
|
|
| Date |
November 26 - 29, 2014 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Mostly clear, 50 - 60 F |
| Moon |
Waxing crescent
to first quarter |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
4 hours, 24 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
80 min,
8 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
80 min,
8 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
80 min,
8 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
NGC 7331, also
known as Caldwell 30, is a spiral galaxy about 40 MLY from
Earth in the constellation Pegasus. In most spiral
galaxies, the central bulge rotates in the same direction as the disk.
The bulge in NGC 7331 is rotating in the opposite
direction. Several other galaxies much
further away can also be seen in the field of view.
|
|
| Object |
NGC 7331 |
| Distance |
40 MLY |
| Constellation |
Pegasus |
| Link |
NGC 7331 |
|
|
| Date |
November 22 - 25, 2014 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Mostly clear, 50 - 60 F |
| Moon |
New moon to waxing crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
7 hours; 21 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
3 hours; 9 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
3 hours; 9 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
3 hours; 9 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
M51, commonly
known as the Whirlpool galaxy, is a spiral galaxy 37 MLY
from Earth in the constellation Canes Venatici. The
very pronounced spiral structure of M51 is believed to be
the result of a close interaction with its companion galaxy, NGC 5195
(right), which passed through M51 about 500 - 600
million years ago.
|
|
| Object |
M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy) |
| Distance |
37 MLY |
| Constellation |
Canes Venatici |
| Link |
Messier
Object 51 |
|
|
| Date |
April 27 to May 27, 2014 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Mostly clear, 50 - 75 F |
| Moon |
First quarter
to third quarter |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
4 hours; 24 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
6 hours; 36 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
6 hours; 36 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
6 hours; 36 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
NGC 5033 is
a Seyfert galaxy 38 - 60 MLY from Earth in the constellation
Canes Venatici. It has a bright, active nucleus thought to contain a supermassive black hole. Some
of the arms are warped indicating a recent interaction with
another galaxy.
|
|
| Object |
NGC 5033 |
| Distance |
38 - 60 MLY |
| Constellation |
Canes Venatici |
| Link |
NGC 5033 |
|
|
| Date |
March
10 - 22, 2013 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Mostly clear, 50 - 60 F |
| Moon |
Waxing
crescent to waning gibbous |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
17 hours; 51 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
6 hours; 15 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
6 hours; 15 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
8 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
NGC 3628 is 35 MLY from Earth in the constellation
Leo. It is a member of the Leo Triplet, which includes
M65 and M66. NGC 3628 was discovered in 1784 by William Hershel.
From our perspective, NGC 3628 is seen edge-on. Its
dust lane and ends are distorted by its gravitational
interaction with M65 and M66.
|
|
| Object |
NGC 3628 |
| Distance |
35 MLY |
| Constellation |
Leo |
| Link |
NGC 3628 |
|
|
| Date |
February
10 - March 13, 2013 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Mostly clear, 50 - 70 F |
| Moon |
New moon - new moon |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
16.7 hours; 50 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
5 hours; 15 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
5 hours; 15 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
4 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| NGC 3521 is 35 MLY from Earth in the constellation
Leo. It contains many star forming regions (pink) and
clusters of young, blue stars. It is embedded in
gigantic bubble-like shells (see
here), which are probably tidal debris and streams of
stars torn from satellite galaxies that have undegone
mergers with NGC 3521 in the past. |
|
| Object |
NGC 3521 |
| Distance |
35 MLY |
| Constellation |
Leo |
| Link |
NGC 3521 |
|
|
| Date |
March 28 & 29, 2012 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp- 60 F, RH- 20%, DP- 23 F |
| Moon/ |
Waning crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
7 hours; 21 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
1 hour; 3 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
1 hour; 3 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
1 hour; 3 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
NGC 5907 (Splinter
Galaxy) is 50 MLY from Earth in the constellation
Draco. It is a member of the NGC 5866
group and was discovered in 1788 by William Hershel.
NGC 5907 is surrounded by
tidal star streams (can be seen
here) that are probably the trail of a dwarf galaxy that
was torn apart and merged with it.
|
|
| Object |
NGC 5907 (Splinter Galaxy) |
| Distance |
50 MLY |
| Constellation |
Draco |
| Link |
NGC 5907 |
|
|
| Date |
March 16 - 23, 2012 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp- 50 F, RH- 20%, DP- 23 F |
| Moon |
Third quarter (03/16) to
new moon (03/23) |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
10 hours; 30 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
4 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
4 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
4 hours; 12 x 20 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg)
| M82 (Cigar
Galaxy) is 12 MLY from Earth in the constellation
Ursa Major. It was discovered in 1774 by Johann Bode. Its
irregular shape is probably due to its gravitational
interaction with M81, a neighboring galaxy. Superwinds
of hydrogen gas caused by massive stars and supernova
explosions can be seen emanating from its center. |
|
| Object |
M82 (Cigar Galaxy) |
| Distance |
12 MLY |
| Constellation |
Ursa Major |
| Link |
Messier
Object 82 |
|
|
| Date |
January 19 & 20, 2012 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp- 43 F, RH- 77%, DP- 37 F |
| Moon |
Waning crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
1 hour; 6 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
1 hour; 6 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
1 hour; 6 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg) |
|
|
| Object |
M33 (Triangulum Galaxy) |
| Distance |
3 MLY |
| Constellation |
Triangulum |
| Link |
Messier
Object 33 |
|
|
| Date |
December 24 & 25, 2011 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp- 45 F, RH- 48%, DP- 23 F |
| Moon |
New
moon |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
3 hours; 18 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
1 hour; 6 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
1 hour; 6 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
1 hour; 6 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
Click
here
to see a larger version. |
.jpg) |
|
|
| Object |
M104 (Sombrero Galaxy) |
| Distance |
30 MLY |
| Constellation |
Virgo |
| Link |
Messier
Object 104 |
|
|
| Date |
February 28, 2011 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp- 48 F, RH- 46%, DP- 30 F |
| Moon |
Waning crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
3 hours; 18 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
1 hour; 6 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
1 hour; 6 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
1 hour; 6 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
.jpg) |
|
|
| Object |
M106 |
| Distance |
25 MLY |
| Constellation |
Canes Venatici |
| Link |
Messier
Object 106 |
|
|
| Date |
April 30, 2009 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp- 69 F, RH- 16%, DP- 20 F |
| Moon |
Waxing crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
2 hours; 8 x 15 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
1 hour; 4 x 15 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
1 hour; 4 x 15 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
1 hour; 4 x 15 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
.jpg) |
|
|
| Object |
M101 (Pinwheel Galaxy) |
| Distance |
27 MLY |
| Constellation |
Ursa Major |
| Link |
Messier
Object 101 |
|
|
| Date |
April 29, 2009 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp- 69 F, RH- 16%, DP- 20 F |
| Moon |
Waxing crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 2.5 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
1 hour; 4 x 15 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
0.5 hours; 2 x 15 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
0.5 hours; 2 x 15 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
0.5 hours; 2 x 15 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
.jpg)
Click on the
image above to see animation. Shown in the animation are
two superimposed images of M101 taken in April 2009 (frame 1)
and
September 2011 (frame 2). A type Ia supernova
designated SN2011fe (seen in frame 2)
appeared in August/September of 2011 reaching a peak visual
magnitude of ~10.
|
|
|
|
|
Object |
Supernova SN2011fe in M101 |
| Distance |
27 MLY |
| Constellation |
Ursa Major |
| Link |
Messier
Object 101 |
|
|
| Date |
04/29/2009 & 09/25/2011 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear |
| Moon |
Waxing (2009) and waning (2011) crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 3.0 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
4 x 15 min; 1 x 1 (both 2009 & 2011) |
| Red |
NA |
| Green |
NA |
| Blue |
NA |
| HA |
NA |
|
.jpg) |
|
|
| Object |
M65 (right) & M66 (left) |
| Distance |
35 MLY |
| Constellation |
Leo |
| Link |
Messier
Objects 65
&
66 |
|
|
| Date |
April 28, 2009 (Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp- 69 F, RH- 16%, DP- 20 F |
| Moon |
Waxing crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 2.5 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
0.5 hours; 2 x 15 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
0.5 hours; 2 x 15 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
0.5 hours; 2 x 15 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
0.5 hours; 2 x 15 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
|
.jpg) |
|
|
| Object |
NGC 4565 |
| Distance |
31 MLY |
| Constellation |
Coma Berenices |
| Link |
NGC 4565 |
|
|
| Date |
May 12, 2007 (West Bloomfield, MI) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp- 47 F, RH- 39%, DP- 23 F |
| Moon |
Waning crescent |
| Seeing |
2.0 - 2.5 arc-sec |
| Telescope |
RCOS 12.5" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 |
| CCD camera |
SBIG STL11000M |
| Luminance |
2 hours; 12 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
40 min;
2 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Green |
40 min;
2 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| Blue |
40 min;
2 x 20 min, 1 x 1 |
| HA |
NA |
|
.jpg) |
|
|
| Object |
NGC 5746 |
| Distance |
95 MLY |
| Constellation |
Virgo |
| Link |
NGC 5746 |
|
|
| Date |
April 20, 2004 (Kitt Peak, Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp, RH, DP- Unknown |
| Moon |
New moon |
| Seeing |
Unknown |
| Telescope |
RCOS 20" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 (Kitt Peak) |
| CCD camera |
SBIG ST10XME |
| Luminance |
1 hour; 6 x 10 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
10 min; 1 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
10 min; 1 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
10 min; 1 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
| Image taken by Adam Block, Svend and Carl Freytag |
.jpg) |
|
|
| Object |
NGC 3359 |
| Distance |
49 MLY |
| Constellation |
Ursa Major |
| Link |
NGC 3359 |
|
|
| Date |
April 19, 2004 (Kitt Peak, Tucson, AZ) |
| Conditions |
Clear, Temp, RH, DP- Unknown |
| Moon |
New moon |
| Seeing |
Unknown |
| Telescope |
RCOS 20" Ritchey-Chretien @ f9 (Kitt Peak) |
| CCD camera |
SBIG ST10XME |
| Luminance |
1.75 hours; 7 x 15 min, 1 x 1 |
| Red |
10 min; 1 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Green |
10 min; 1 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| Blue |
10 min; 1 x 10 min, 2 x 2 |
| HA |
NA |
| Image taken by Adam Block, Svend and Carl Freytag |
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