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Whirlpool Galaxy - M51

 

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE VIEW (4052x2711)

Scope: Celestron 9.25 Edge HD 235 mm at f/7, Location: DAA Observatory, Shelter Valley, CA, 14, 15 April 2023,  Camera: ASI294MM (Baader  LRGB Filters)

Exposure: Lum - 124 x 4 minutes (gain-121 2x2) ,  RGB - 36 each x 2.5 minutes  - (gain-121 2x2).

Processing: Data Collection -  Sequence Generator Pro (as FITs).  Sub-frame calibration - Pixinsight (WBPP). Sub-frame  registration and integration (Average combine -  Winsorized  Clipping Rejection) - PixInsight (WBPP).  Mure Denoise - PixInsight.  Non-linear stretching, normalization and gradient removal - PixInsight.   Curves, Levels, RGB combine, Luminance layering - PixInsight. Generation of starless Luminance image for later processing - StarXTerminator. Photometric RGB calibration (SPCC) - PixInsight.  De-convolution - BlurXTerminator.  Final finishing  - Affinity Photo.  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 4052x2711.

Image orientation is 77 degrees CCW from North up.  This image shows M51 (Arp 85) and its surrounding field. Arp 85 is an interacting galaxy pair consisting of NGC 5194 (Arp 85a) and NGC 5195 (Arp85b) as individual galaxies - Halton Arp classified this pair in the category of  "spiral galaxies with large bright companion on arm". The pair is about 25 to 29 million light years distant  from Earth. NGC 5195 is classed  as "I0 pec"; NGC5194 is classed as "SA(s)bc pec". 

Also in this image are background galaxies IC 4277, IC 4263, and IC 4278 ; the latter two are 131 and 241 million light years distant (respectively). There is the interesting galaxy cluster (XMXCS j132830.2+470357.2) which has a redshift of 0.3820 with a light travel time (Lookback) of 4.142 billion years. The field has multiple other background galaxies that can be seen in the full size image.  The furthest objects visible in this image are the Quasars  and their distances  (by light travel time) range from 7.661 to 11.16 billion years (Lookback).  

These objects, information, background galaxies, and some of the brighter stars are identified in the annotated image This image replaces and earlier image that can be seen in the Archives here. Horizontal FOV is approximately 39.3 arc minutes. Full size image scale is approximately 0.57 arcsec/pix.

Image Center approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 13h 29m 38s Dec: +47°08'21"

 

All images and content remain the property of Jim Thommes - copyright 2003 - 2023

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