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Scope: C8 f/6.2, Location: Blair Valley, Anza Borrego Desert, CA, 26 April and Dos Picos Park, Ramona, 31 May, 2008; Camera: Artemis285
Exposure: 18 x 9 minutes (1x1 bin - Blair) and 12 x 6 minutes (2x2 bin - Dos Picos) Luminance exposures with IR block, 5 x 3 minutes RGB exposures (2x2 bin - Blair).
Processing: Images were captured Artemis Capture (as FITs). Aligned/stacked and dark subtracted in Astroart with Sigma Combine. Luminance and Color channels were scaled and rough color balanced in Astroart. Gradient removal was performed on the Dos Picos exposure stack. Channels were co-registered in Astroart. The 6 minute IR block (2x2 bin) exposures were used for the main luminance construction. The (1x1 bin) exposures were used for improved star size and galaxy detail. Level adjustments and curves adjustments were used to bring out object features. LRGB combine was done in Photoshop. G2V factors applied to color channels. Selective sharpening (with mask) was used to enhance galaxy features. A light noise reduction was applied with PixInsight LE SGBNR. Final touches were done in Photoshop. Final Image size is approximately 1392x1040
North is to the right in this image. The view of this galaxy reveals some delicate spiral arms. It is located in the constellation of Canes Venatici about 38 million light years distant from Earth. This image replaces an earlier image in the Archives here. Horizontal FOV is 24'
Image Center is approximately Equatorial 2000: RA: 13h 13m 28s Dec: +36°35'36"