Scope: Celestron 9.25 Edge 235 mm at f/7, Location: Laguna Mountains, CA   11 April 2015  Camera: ST8300M

Exposure: Exposure: 16 x 8 min  (2x2 bin) exposure, 8 x 4 min (1x1 bin) with UV/IR block;  8 x 4 min (3x3 bin) RGB exposures.

Processing: Data Collection -  Sequence Generator Pro (as FITs).  Calibrated, stacked (Sigma Kappa Combine) in Deep Sky Stacker, L - RGB channel registration, equalization, central gradient removal - Astroart.  Curves, Levels, and Luminance development, RGB combine - Images Plus. Finishing  - Photoshop. Color calibration with eXcalibrator. This image is UV/IR Block for the Luminance channel and then a LRGB combine with Luminance layering.  Saturation in LAB color.   Final Image size processed at approximately 3352x2532 cropped and resized to 1800x1350.

North is up in this image.  This field  shows the two galaxies NGC 4038 and NGC 4039 in the process of a merger (such a process takes eons). Combined they are known by the common name of "The Antennae". The distinctive tails can be seen extending from the merger toward the top and bottom of the image. These galaxies are also cataloged in Arp's Peculiar Galaxies catalog as Arp 244. Their distance from Earth is estimated at about 74 million light years (redshift independent estimate). Also along the lower edge are two  smaller galaxies . These smaller galaxies as well as The Antennae are identified  and highlighted in the annotated image.    The Horizontal FOV is 38'

Image center is approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 12h 01m 54s Dec: -18° 52' 00"