M51_2009-04-21

Galaxies - M 51

R.A.: 13h 29m 52.7s
Dec.: +47° 11´ 43´´
Mag.: 9.0

The Whirlpool Galaxy is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy located at a distance of approximately 23 million light-years in the constellation Canes Venatici. A black hole, surrounded by a ring of dust, is thought to exist at the heart of the spiral. The dust ring stands almost perpendicular to the relatively flat spiral nebula. A secondary ring crosses the primary ring on a different axis, a phenomenon that is contrary to expectations. A pair of ionization cones extend from the axis of the main dust ring.

© Wikipedia

M 51 – Whirpool Galaxy

Date/time:
21.04.2009 23:20 to 22.04.2009 00:05
22.04.2009 22:02 to 22.04.2009 23:50
30.04.2009 23:55 to 01.05.2009 02:55

Ambient conditions: 10°C, transparency 5/5, seeing 4/5
Location: Trier, Germany

Equipment:
Telescope: TMB 92 SS f/5.5 with TSFlat flattener
Mount: CGE
Guiding: SSAG on 70mm Bresser Achromat guidescope, PHD
Camera: ATIK 16 IC-S monochrome
Filters: Baader L,R,G,B

Acquisition:
Software: CCDSoft V5
FOV, Image scale: 33.1 x 24.8 arcmin, 3.01 arcs/pixel
Sub-exposures: L/R/G/B = 60 / 60 / 60 / 60 min
subframes of 5min at 1:1, calibration with bias and flats, no darks

Processing:
Calibration and stacking in Images Plus 3.75,
LRGB composite using Carbonis Actions, curves, levels adjustments, color balance in CS3,
Carbonis Actions for background noise reduction.

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Information

Filename: galaxies/m51_2009-04-21_full.jpg
Filesize: 97804 Kb
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