NGC 3686 Galaxy Group and Abell 1264 Galaxy Cluster

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE VIEW (4000x3029)

Scope: FSQ-106N at f/8- w/ Q-Telex, Location: DAA Observatory, Shelter Valley, CA, 28 February 2022,  Camera: ASI1600M (Astronomik Gen 2  LRGB Filters)

Exposure: Exposure: L - 64 x 3 minutes (gain-170 1x1) ,  RGB - 20 each x 2.5 minutes  - (gain-139 1x1).

Processing: Data Collection -  Sequence Generator Pro (as FITs).  Sub-frame calibration - Pixinsight (WBPP). Sub-frame  registration and integration (Average combine -  Winsorized Sigma Clipping) - PixInsight (WBPP).  Mure Denoise - PixInsight. Photometric RGB calibration - PixInsight (SPCC). Non-linear stretching, normalization and gradient removal - PixInsight.  Star reduction by lighter stretch stars only  - PixInsight, Affinity Photo. Curves, Levels, RGB combine, Luminance layering - PixInsight.  Final finishing  - Affinity Photo.  Annotation - PixInsight, Aladin (Simbad and NED), and Affinity Photo. This image is a  LRGB with luminance layering.  Image processed at 4656x3520 resolution. Final Image size is approximately  4000x3029.

North is up in this image.  The four spiral galaxies in the center form the Named NGC 3686 Galaxy Group. The brightest, NGC 3686 - SB(S)bc - is the group's namesake. Three other members are  NGC3 684 -  SA(rs)bc, NGC 3681 - SAB(r)bc, and NGC 3691 - LSB galaxy SBb. The average distance is about 69 million light years (by redshift estimate). An interesting edge-on galaxy, UGC 6483 is toward the left and is about 213 million light years distant.  Background to the NGC 3686 Group is the Abell galaxy cluster ACO 1264. It's distance is about 1,280 to 1,650 million light years. It's brightest galaxy is PGC139580; it is a richness class 2 (80 to 129 members).  Further back in distance are the quasars - twenty are visible in this image.  The visible Quasars range from 2.48 to 11.18 billion light years lookback.   These objects, information, background galaxies and some of the brighter stars are identified in the annotated image. Horizontal FOV is approximately 78 arc minutes. Full size image scale is approximately 1.16 arcsec/pix.. 

Image center is approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 11h 27m 10s   Dec: +17° 01' 58"

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