Tuesday, May 19, 2009

M100, A Galaxy in Coma Berenices


As promised, here is a larger shot of M100 (right) and NGC 4312 (left). I didn't label them, but you can also see NGC 4328, 4323, 4322 and 4427 around M100. The 5-minute subs might have been ambitious--there was a little drift from, I'm assuming, mirror shift in the LX200.

Heritage Park Observatory, Cedar Park, TX
Exposure: 24 x 5 minutes
Camera: Modified Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D)
Scope: Meade 10" LX200, Meade f/6.3 focal reducer
Mount: Meade LX200
Guider: Short Tube 80, Meade DSI
Filter: Astronomik CLS
Software: PHD Guiding, Nebulosity, Photoshop

6 comments:

hotrodgal said...

Not sure if you have seen this already, but saw it and thought of you! http://vimeo.com/4505537

imjeffp said...

That's a greta video--thanks for the link. And that's pretty close to what it actually looks like from there.

The Cass said...

Hi!!

One question: Can the Philips WebCam be used for galaxy shots?

Great pics!!

Tks, Cassiano, Brazil.

imjeffp said...

Hi Cassiano

The webcam can be modified for long exposures, but I've never tried it. You wouldn't be able to shoot galaxies straight out of the box--it's just not sensitive enough.

I'm jealous of the stuff you guys get to see down south--I want to go on astro-safari someday just to see Eta Carina, the LMC & SMC, Omega Centauri overhead, etc.

The Cass said...

Imjeffp, thanks for your answer.

Really, here I've Omega Cen over my head, and LMC and SMC little above... but the light pollution, here in Sao Paulo is very strong. Only in the far places LCM and SMC could be viewed. But, there are others jewels like the constellation Crux, we call in portuguese "Cruzeiro do Sul", "The Great Crux of the South" and the stars Alpha and Beta Cen. The center of our galaxy it's other great thing to see above our heads.

Ops! Eta Car and The Jewels Box, in the left side of Crux are great!

[]'s

Cassiano - Sao Paulo - Brazil.
PS: I'll continue to see your (great) pics !!!

NiteSkyGirl said...

WOW BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!