Messier 15

This beautiful cluster is part of our home galaxy and revolves, as we do, around the galactic center of the Milky Way.  One orbit takes about 250 million years.  The cluster itself contains approximately 100,000 suns and there is debate about the center of the cluster.  Some astronomers believe that stars are actively collapsing toward the center to create a high-density environment.  Others believe that there may be a black whole lurking at the center.  Either way, it makes for a glorious sight!

Photo Details

October 11, 2016

Orion 8" Astrograph on VX Mount

SBIG STF-8300C Camera

Baader MPC Mark III Multi-Purpose Coma Corrector

Skyglow filter

27 subframes at 3 minutes/frame

Total Exposure Time = 1 hours 27 minutes
Image Acquisition in CCDOps
Image Stacking in Deep Sky Tracker
Image Processing in PhotoShop

NGC 7331 - Deer Lick Group

After a long and hot summer, we finally had two gorgeous nights last week with beautiful clear skies and overnight temperatures dipping into the 50's.  I was able to get out Thursday and Friday night to capture the image above.  NGC 7331 is part of the Deer Lick Group.  The main galaxy (NGC 7331) is at the perfect angle to give us a real sense of depth.  Do you notice the other four, much smaller, galaxies arrayed around it?  The difference in size is just an optical illusion. They are all of similar size, but are at much further distance from us.  NGC 7331 is about 40 million light years away while the others are 300 to 400 million light years distant.  In other words, the "smaller" galaxies are about 10 times further away.  It's a bit mind-numbing (& humbling) to contemplate light in this image representing vastly different ages of our universe.  One final note:  I had targeted this same group about three years ago (see below).  A lot of learning, skill building and equipment upgrades over the past three years shows a big difference (thankfully!).

Photo Details

September 29-30, 2016

Orion 8" Astrograph on VX Mount

SBIG STF-8300C Camera

Baader MPC Mark III Multi-Purpose Coma Corrector

Skyglow filter

83 subframes at 3 minutes/frame

Total Exposure Time = 3 hours 54 minutes
Image Acquisition in CCDOps
Image Stacking in Deep Sky Tracker
Image Processing in PhotoShop

NGC 7331 Taken on 11/27/2013