AAPOD2 Image Archives
M96 The Elusive 2MFGC 8391
Image Description and Details : M96 is a lovely distrurbed spiral about 31 million ly distant. The most interesting feature to me is the needle galaxy 2MFGC 8391 we see through the arm of M96. This needle is the spitting image of NGC 891 but more distant at about 150 ly away. M96 appeared to me initially as a one-arm galaxy but is described as a double barred spiral.
Astrodon Blue: 31x31" (16' 1") (gain: 25.00) -10°C bin 1x1
Astrodon Green: 24x600" (4h) (gain: 25.00) -10°C bin 1x1
Astrodon Luminance: 61x600" (10h 10') (gain: 25.00) -10°C bin 1x1
Astrodon Red: 27x600" (4h 30') (gain: 25.00) -10°C bin 1x1
Integration total 18h 56' 1"
Planewave CDK14, Planewave L-350, QHY600M
Copyright: Kevin Morefield
NGC 2841 | A Galaxy Headed For Retirement
Image Description and Details : Having lost most of its star forming hydrogen clouds, NGC 2841 is domintated by mature yellow and red stars. Several encircling rings of dust can just be seen here about doubling the apparant diameter of the otherwise 8' disk. Extreme stretches also show a very faint arm trailing off to the right. This arm might suggest some galacitc interaction, but that seems at odds with such a lack of star formation. Maybe the interaction was a long time ago or very limited? The Ha data I shot confirms the lack of HII emissions.
41 total hours about half in Luminance. A super luminance was used with the RGB masters to try and tease out the outer rings. My Bortle 3 site may be at the limit to capture these. My FHWM cut off was over 3" to keep integration time high. To add sharpness to the galaxy detail I did a second Luminance with a 2.4" cutoff and blended that with a mask.
Planewave CDK14, Planewave L-350, QHY600M
Copyright: Kevin Morefield
The Iris, the Ghost, and the Dark
Image Description and Details : Two popular long focal length targets, the Iris Nebula and the Ghost Nebula, share a field of chocolate colored dust in the constellation Cepheus. This 2 degree FOV captures both with plenty of room for the surrounding dark nebulae.
Captured over 4 nights in Goldendale Washington from Goldendale Sky Village and Sky View Acres. Both sites are Bortle 2.
Takahashi FSQ 106
QHY600M
Paramount MYT
Chroma Blue 2": 35x300" (2h 55') (gain: 56.00) -10C bin 1x1
Chroma Green 2": 32x300" (2h 40') (gain: 56.00) -10C bin 1x1
Chroma Luminance 2": 47x300" (3h 55') (gain: 56.00) -10C bin 1x1
Chroma Red 2": 31x300" (2h 35') (gain: 56.00) -10C bin 1x1
Integration: 12h 5'
Copyright:Kevin Morefield