No, I didn't name this galaxy. It is one of the popular names for M100. But it does look a little bit like a blowdryer.
Names aside, this is one of the Messier objects on my list to image. I'm trying to get the final Messier Award, the M110 Award, for photographing all 110 Messier objects. With eleven more to go it may be a challenge to complete the series this season if the weather doesn't cooperate soon.
This image of M100, also known as NGC 4321, is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices. One of the largest and brightest galaxies in the Virgo cluster, it is 55 million light years from earth, and spans 107,000 light years across.
Taken over two nights, May 1 and 2, 2021, it was a difficult imaging run as clouds interfered throughout both nights - more than half of the exposures had to be discarded because of either low signal (clouds) or equipment failure. My new Off Axis Guider is giving me fits trying to get the image focused sufficiently for the guide system. But I'll get it sorted out someday :) It was, nonetheless, a good test of my new camera, the ZWO ASI2600mm Pro.
 |
| M100 - May 1 and 2, 2021 EdgeHD11 2800mm f/10, ASI2600 Camera LRGB 3.2 hrs total integration Full details at: Astrobin |
No comments:
Post a Comment