M106 in LRGB with Hα Added

[Mike Lewis]

Here is a close up of Messier 106, located in the Canes Venatici constellation. This amazing galaxy was discovered in 1781 and is one of the largest and brightest galaxies located nearby, having a size roughly equivalent to the Andromeda Galaxy. It harbors a very active supermassive black hole in its center. The small galaxy directly below is NGC 4248.

This was imaged in LRGB with shorter RGB exposures used for the stars. Additional Hα data was also taken to accentuate some of the active star forming regions.

Comments and critiques welcome. Gear and acquisition details follow:

Equipment:
ZWO ASI1600MM-C Camera @ -10C and Gain:139 Offset:21 (LRGB)
-10C and Gain:200 Offset:50 (Hα)
Software Bisque MyT Mount
Celestron EdgeHD 9.25 SCT with 0.7x reducer, 1645mm @ f/7

Software:
PHD2 Guiding Software
NINA Astroimaging Software
PixInsight Commercial Version 1.8
Software Bisque TheSkyX
Lightroom CC
Photoshop CC
Russell Croman BlurXTerminator
Russell Croman StarXTerminator
Russell Croman NoiseXTerminator

Light Frames:
Hα: 54 x 420 secs (6 hrs 18 mins)
Luminance: 30 x 360 secs (3 hrs)
Red: 54 x 300 secs (4 hrs 30 mins)
Red: 20 x 30 secs (10 mins)
Green: 52 x 300 secs (4 hrs 20 mins)
Green: 18 x 30secs (9 mins)
Blue: 52 x 300 secs (4 hrs 20 mins)
Blue: 18 x 30 secs (9 mins)

22 hrs 56 mins total

Dark Frames:
10 x 420 secs, Hα (1hr 10 mins)
10 x 300 secs, RGB (50 mins)
10 x 30 secs, RGB (5 mins)

Bias Frames:
60

 

[JimFox]

Love the amount of detail you have captured here. Really good work and maybe the best M106 so far here.

You might have made a typo though because it's like maybe 10 times smaller then Andromeda.

 

[BlackRockArt]

Here is a close up of Messier 106, located in the Canes Venatici constellation. This amazing galaxy was discovered in 1781 and is one of the largest and brightest galaxies located nearby, having a size roughly equivalent to the Andromeda Galaxy. It harbors a very active supermassive black hole in its center. The small galaxy directly below is NGC 4248.

This was imaged in LRGB with shorter RGB exposures used for the stars. Additional Hα data was also taken to accentuate some of the active star forming regions.

View attachment 60740


Comments and critiques welcome. Gear and acquisition details follow:

Equipment:
ZWO ASI1600MM-C Camera @ -10C and Gain:139 Offset:21 (LRGB)
-10C and Gain:200 Offset:50 (Hα)
Software Bisque MyT Mount
Celestron EdgeHD 9.25 SCT with 0.7x reducer, 1645mm @ f/7

Software:
PHD2 Guiding Software
NINA Astroimaging Software
PixInsight Commercial Version 1.8
Software Bisque TheSkyX
Lightroom CC
Photoshop CC
Russell Croman BlurXTerminator
Russell Croman StarXTerminator
Russell Croman NoiseXTerminator

Light Frames:
Hα: 54 x 420 secs (6 hrs 18 mins)
Luminance: 30 x 360 secs (3 hrs)
Red: 54 x 300 secs (4 hrs 30 mins)
Red: 20 x 30 secs (10 mins)
Green: 52 x 300 secs (4 hrs 20 mins)
Green: 18 x 30secs (9 mins)
Blue: 52 x 300 secs (4 hrs 20 mins)
Blue: 18 x 30 secs (9 mins)

22 hrs 56 mins total

Dark Frames:
10 x 420 secs, Hα (1hr 10 mins)
10 x 300 secs, RGB (50 mins)
10 x 30 secs, RGB (5 mins)

Bias Frames:
60

Mike, this is gorgeous, love the glistening stars.

Oliver

 

[Mike Lewis]

Mike, this is gorgeous, love the glistening stars.

Oliver

Thanks! I am very happy with this one and really all the new images I have gotten over the last couple months with this (new to me) used scope I got.

ML

 

[Dan Moorehead]

Wonderful