Cigar Galaxy

Bill Richards

Bill Richards

Well-Known Member
The Cigar Galaxy (aka M82) is a starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away. It's about five times more luminous than the Milky Way and its central region is about one hundred times more luminous. It experiences gravitational interactions with its galactic neighbor, Bode's Galaxy (M81), causing it to have an extraordinarily high rate of star formation. Around the galaxy’s center, young stars are being born 10 times faster than inside our entire Milky Way galaxy. Radiation and energetic particles from these newborn stars carve into the surrounding gas, and the resulting galactic wind compresses enough gas to make millions of more stars.

This is the result of nearly 5 hours of exposure time taken on 2/12/2024 under "windier-then-I-would-like" conditions (hence, not as sharp as it could be).

M82.jpg


Equipment and Software:
=======================
Mount: iOption CEM40 w/iPolar
Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8 w/0.7x focal reducer
Auto-Focuser: Rigel Systems nFOCUS
Imaging Camera: ASI2600MC-Pro
Guide Camera: ASI174MM-Mini on OAG
Imaging Software: NINA
Guiding Software: PHD2
Image Processing Software: PixInsight

Exposure Details:
=================
Camera Temperature -15C
Bias: 50
Gain: 100
98 x 180s
Plus 32x Darks, Flats, and Dark Flats

#M82 #cigargalaxy #asi2600mc #astronomy #astronomyphotography #astronomypicturesdaily #astrophotography #cosmos #deepsky #deepskyobject #galaxy #longexposure #nightphotography #nightsky #outerspace #photography #science #space #spacephotography #stargazing #stars #telescope #universe
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
This sure looks sharp here Bill.

I really like the look of M82 that you captured. You have gotten a lot of detail in this.
 
BlackRockArt

BlackRockArt

Staff
Bill Richards said:
The Cigar Galaxy (aka M82) is a starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away. It's about five times more luminous than the Milky Way and its central region is about one hundred times more luminous. It experiences gravitational interactions with its galactic neighbor, Bode's Galaxy (M81), causing it to have an extraordinarily high rate of star formation. Around the galaxy’s center, young stars are being born 10 times faster than inside our entire Milky Way galaxy. Radiation and energetic particles from these newborn stars carve into the surrounding gas, and the resulting galactic wind compresses enough gas to make millions of more stars.

This is the result of nearly 5 hours of exposure time taken on 2/12/2024 under "windier-then-I-would-like" conditions (hence, not as sharp as it could be).

View attachment 69861

Equipment and Software:
=======================
Mount: iOption CEM40 w/iPolar
Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8 w/0.7x focal reducer
Auto-Focuser: Rigel Systems nFOCUS
Imaging Camera: ASI2600MC-Pro
Guide Camera: ASI174MM-Mini on OAG
Imaging Software: NINA
Guiding Software: PHD2
Image Processing Software: PixInsight

Exposure Details:
=================
Camera Temperature -15C
Bias: 50
Gain: 100
98 x 180s
Plus 32x Darks, Flats, and Dark Flats

#M82 #cigargalaxy #asi2600mc #astronomy #astronomyphotography #astronomypicturesdaily #astrophotography #cosmos #deepsky #deepskyobject #galaxy #longexposure #nightphotography #nightsky #outerspace #photography #science #space #spacephotography #stargazing #stars #telescope #universe
Click to expand...
Bill, this is incredible, thanks for the narratives, love it.

Oliver
 
Mike Lewis

Mike Lewis

Staff Member
Wonderful job on this iconic object. very nice capture of the Hα starburst regions as well as the subtle colorings on the galaxy itself.

ML
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom