Galaxies
Island UniversesGalaxies are enormous gravitationally bound conglomerations of stars, dust, gas and dark matter. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Learn more about galaxies here:
http://www.seds.org/messier/galaxy.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GalaxyTo learn more about the galaxy you live in (the Milky Way) click here:
http://www.seds.org/messier/more/mw.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way
Click on an image to enlarge.
Click on a constellation name to view a star chart (courtesy Starry Night Software).
If you download and process a raw file please send me your results. As soon as possible I will post your image.Jump to:
M31 Andromeda
M32
M33 Triangulum
M49
M51 Whirlpool
M58
M59/M60
M61
M63 Sunflower
M64 Black Eye
Leo Triplet M65/M66
M74 Phantom
M77
M81 Bode
M82 Cigar
Markarian's Chain: M84/M86/M87/M88
M85
M87
M89/M90
M91
M94
M95/M96/M105
M99
M100
M101 Pinwheel
M102 Spindle
M104 Sombrero
M106
M108
M109
M110
NGC 185
NGC 891 (C23)
NGC 2403
NGC 2683
NGC 2841
NGC 2903
NGC 3115
NGC 3521
NGC 4236
NGC 4244
NGC 4565
NGC 4631
NGC 4725
NGC 5907
NGC 6946
NGC 7331
Caldwell 60 Antenna
Target Raw Image Processed Image Number & Length of Exposures Focal Length, f/# & ISO Lens/Telescope & Camera Used Download Raw Stack 65 frames,
2 minutes each 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) While shooting the 65 frames for the photo above, a meteor streaked through this one, leaving a greenish smoke trail.
M31 photographed through a normal camera lens. 50mm
f/3.5
ISO 800 Canon 50mm 1.8 Mark II lens.
Canon 10D M31 through a zoom lens. 66 frames,
1 minutes each 190mm
f/4.5
ISO 1600 Tamron 70-300mm zoom lens.
Canon 400D (XTi) The same image reprocessed. My first image of M31 from 1999. 1 frame,
20 minutes 400mm
f/5
ISO 200 Orion ShortTube 80mm refractor.
Pentax K1000.
Kodak E200 slide film push processed 1 stop. 7 frames,
4 minutes each500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10D My first attempt at processing this image.This image of M33, taken a year later (08-2007) has more detail and is larger due to more pixels in the Canon XTI sensor.
90 frames of
60 seconds each and 50 frames of 90 seconds each 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) This image was made with a 6 inch f/5 reflector (see Equipment page). 58 frames of 1 minute each. 750mm
f/5
ISO 1600 6 inch reflector, Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 32 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 29 frames,
1 minute each
500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10D The same stack with more careful processing. 17 frames,
1 minute each 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 28 frames,
1 minute each 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 26 frames,
1 minute each 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 60 frames,
1 minute each 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10D The same target imaged with an XTI camera, resulting in more resolution. This image has also been cropped more than the one above. 31 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 14 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10D The same target imaged with an XTI camera, resulting in more resolution. This image has also been cropped more than the one above. 27 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. The Leo Triplet includes M65, M66 and NGC 3628.
51 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. A second attempt at shooting this target yielded better results. 70 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. M74, The Phantom Galaxy in Pisces.
35 million LY distant.
Size: 10 arc min.
Mag: 9.428 frames,
75 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. 46 frames, 90 seconds each and 28 frames,
75 seconds each. Dark frame subtracted. The same image reprocessed. 69 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. M81, Bode's Galaxy
12 million LY distant, Size: 21x10 arc min,
Mag: 6.9 and M82, The Cigar Galaxy. 12 million LY distant, Size: 9x4 arc min, Mag: 8.4
Both in Ursa Major. 30 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10D These frames were shot a year later with
a Canon XTI. The two galaxies were processed separately
to keep individual detail. 190 frames of 90 seconds and 72 frames of 2 minutes. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. Yet another night of shooting this target yielded this image. 29 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. This is M82,
the Cigar Galaxy. This image was made with a 6 inch f/5 reflector (see Equipment page).
Misaligned mirrors caused star distortions. 57 frames of 1 minute each. 750mm
f/5
ISO 1600 6 inch reflector.
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. Yet another example of more frames = more detail. 104 frames of 1 minute each. Markarian's Chain
in Virgo. Contains M84, M86, M87, M88 and a number of other galaxies. The center of this cluster is 70 million LY distant. 46 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 56 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 28 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 46 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 37 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted.M94, spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici.
14.5 million LY distant.
Size: 7x3 arc min.
Mag: 8.2 54 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10DDark frame subtracted.
27 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 32 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 32 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. No .of frames unknown,
1 minute each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10DProcessing info unknown.
This image was made from the same set of raw frames. 109 frames,
1 minutes each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10D A year later I reshot M101. This is my best one yet. 56 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. M102 (?) The Spindle Galaxy in Draco.
There is some doubt among astronomers as to the true identity of this galaxy. 26 frames,
60 seconds each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 30 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 39 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10D M106 photographed with a Canon XTI. The extra pixels, and better processing techniques, produced a more detailed image. 162 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 191 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted.M108, spiral galaxy in Ursa Major.
45 million LY distant.
Size: 8 arc min.
Mag: 10
M97, The Owl Nebula, is visible at right. 29 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10DDark frame subtracted.
M108 photographed with a Canon XTI. The extra pixels, and better processing techniques, produced a more detailed image. 46 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted.M109, spiral galaxy in Ursa Major.
55 million LY distant.
Size: 7x4 arc min.
Mag: 9.8 33 frames,
1 minutes each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 10D Dark frame subtracted. Reshooting this target with a better camera and more experience produced a better image. 52 frames,
1 minutes each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 31 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm,
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTI) Dark frame subtracted. 98 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. 99 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. 84 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted.NGC 2841 in Ursa Major.
31 million LY distant.
Mag: 9.3
Size: 8.1 arc min. 38 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. Adding more frames and more careful processing produced a better image. 60 frames,
90 seconds each. 133 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. Shooting this target in lower humidity and more careful processing produced a better image with fewer frames than the image above. 44 frames,
90 seconds each. 23 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. 33 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. Adding more frames and more careful processing produced a better image. 49 frames,
90 seconds each. 62 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. 32 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted.NGC 4565 in Coma Berenices.
31 million LY distant.
Mag: 9.6
Size: 16 x 3 22 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. 32 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. 37 frames,
1 minute each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. 49 frames,
90 seconds each. 500mm, f/5
ISO 800 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted. 64 frames,
1 minutes each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Adding more exposures to the image above produced smoother results and more detail. 160 frames of 60 seconds and
90 seconds each. NGC 7331, galaxy in Pegasus.
46 million LY distant.
Size: 11x4 arc min.
Mag: 9.5 38 frames,
1 minutes each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted.Caldwell 60, the Antanna Galaxies, in Corvus.
? million LY distant.
Size: 2.6x2 arc min.
Mag: 10.7 33 frames,
1 minutes each. 500mm
f/5
ISO 1600 Celestron C102 refractor
Canon 400D (XTi) Dark frame subtracted.
Photos and text ©2007 Eric A. Jacob