NGC 5068 in Virgo

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE VIEW (3668x2498)

Scope: Celestron 9.25 Edge HD 235 mm at f/7, Location: DAA Observatory, Shelter Valley, CA, 5 and 13 May 2021  Camera: ASI294MM (Baader  LRGB Filters)

Exposure: Exposure: L - 64 x 4 minutes (gain-121 2x2) ,  RGB - 20 x 3 min each filter (gain-121 2x2).

Processing: Data Collection -  Sequence Generator Pro (as FITs).  Sub-frame calibration - Pixinsight. Sub-frame  registration and integration (Average combine -  Winsorized Sigma Clipping) - PixInsight.  Mure Denoise - PixInsight. Non-linear stretching, normalization and gradient removal - PixInsight.   Curves, Levels, Local Histogram Normalization, RGB combine, Luminance layering - PixInsight.  Final finishing  - Affinity Photo.  Photometric RGB calibration - PixInsight. Annotation - PixInsight, Aladin (Simbad and NED), and Affinity Photo. This image is a  LRGB with luminance layering.  Image processed at 4144x2822 resolution. Final Image size is approximately  3668x2498.

North is up in this image.  The dominant galaxy is NGC 5068. It is classified SAB(rs)cd. It is an intermediate barred spiral galaxy with a weak irregular ring. NGC 5068 is about 20 to 45 million light years distant. The lower part of the image shows a smaller edge-on galaxy, ESO 576-26. It is a little more than twice as distant at 92 to 104 million light years.  Many of the background galaxies fall between 300 and 900 million light years distant. There is  Quasar that is visible in the image having a red shift of 1.700 with a lookback  of 9.86 billion light years.  These objects, information, and some of the brighter stars are identified in the annotated image. Horizontal FOV is approximately 39 arc minutes. Full size image scale is approximately 0.64 arcsec/pix.. 

Image center is approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 13h 18m 54s Dec: -21°6'12"

All images and content remain the property of Jim Thommes - copyright 2003 - 2022

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