NGC 3718, a captivating spiral galaxy nestled in the constellation Ursa Major, offers us a glimpse into the intricate dance of cosmic forces shaping our universe. Located approximately 52 million light-years away from Earth, this galaxy presents a striking appearance, with its warped and twisted disk hinting at gravitational interactions with neighboring galaxies.

One of the most notable features of NGC 3718 is its prominent tidal tail, a stream of stars and gas extending outward from the galaxy's main body. This elongated structure, forged through gravitational interactions with nearby galactic companions, offers valuable insights into the dynamics of galactic encounters and the transformative effects they impart on the involved galaxies. NGC 3718 stands as a testament to the dynamic nature of the cosmos, where gravitational tugs and cosmic collisions sculpt the majestic tapestry of the universe.

Image Description and Details : NGC 3718 is an 'S' shaped and heavily warped spiral or lenticular galaxy located at a distance of fifty-two million light years in the constellation Ursa Major. The distortion to its shape likely comes from gravitational interactions with another galaxy, possibly with NGC 3729, the spiral galaxy located to the right in this image. Just above NGC 3718 is a cluster of interacting galaxies cataloged as Hickson 56.

The picture was taken on clear nights between 4/20/2022 and 4/28/2022 using a remotely controlled telescope in Rowe, NM. A total of 13 hours of luminance were combined with 3.5 hours each of red, green, and blue data to create the color image. The telescope used was a 305mm Riccardi-Honders astrograph with a focal ratio of f/3.8. The mount was an AP1100GTO AE running unguided using a high precision pointing and tracking model. The camera was a QHY600PH monochrome cooled to -10*C. Filters were Chroma 50mm x 50mm LRGB.

The software used for image capture was NINA. The mount was modeled and controlled by APCC. All calibration and post processing was performed in PixInsight.

Copyright: 2022 Jared Willson