Markarians Chain

With more Messier numbers and Ngc's than you scan shake a stick at Markarian’s Chain can be found on the outer edge of the Virgo constellation, Sandwiched between Denebola and Vindemiatrix, a small section of the Virgo Super cluster is aptly named Markarians Chain. You can see highlighted from the graphic that each galaxy looks like it is linked to the next to form this spectacular galactic chain. I wanted to frame this image slightly different but found myself reluctant to rotate the camera angle and the need for new calibration frames. I can't decide whether I like the horizontal or vertical view, let me know what you think.

The Magnificent M87

A behemoth in galaxy terms M87 or Virgo 1 is a target that a DSLR does not take full advantage of. Especially an imaging set up for wide field. A super giant elliptical that is almost  with no dust lanes. A much deeper exposure is required to capture the plasma flow from the galaxies active nucleus.Although it does look like I have captured the inner part closest to the core.What do you think?. Sporting a super massive black hole some 6.6 billion solar masses & larger than our sun -Pluto orbit,it churns out enough X rays, Gamma rays, Radio waves to keep the professional astronomers and orbiting telescopes busy for decades to come.
Just 46 minutes worth of data here. I had problems with the guiding and rejected more than half of the 2 minute guided frames. Darks subtracted and a gradient removal.

M99, M100

Saturday night was a moonless clear night and at that point I was unaware of a new supernova in the galaxy M65. My scope was trained a few degrees away into Coma and caught a wide field image of M99(below) & M100(right) Both on average 55 Million light years away. I was testing the setup on 5 minute subs. Unfortunatly I have no stock of 300 second dark frames so the final wide field wasn't upto my usual standards. So rather than waste it I have cropped them and here they are. Please note M100 was very close to the edge of the frame. Stars are not perfect.

Supernova in M65 SN 2013am

Spotted on March 21 that M. Sugano, of Kakogawa, Japan had spotted a new supernova in the galaxy M65 – the 65th entry in Messier’s catalog of 110 objects – amateur astronomers expected the star to brighten to magnitude 11 or 12, shiny enough to nab in even a pedestrian 4.5-inch reflector.

Only 7 days previous I had spent the first clear night since christmas. I though I would have a go at an old favourite the Leo triplet. From my image below M65 is the upper galaxy of the trio and of course no supernova. The next clear sky opportunity I get I will have another go and image my second supernova. Previous in M95 last year. http://www.malcsastro.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/M95

Within a week, a typical nearby supernova beams brightly enough to show in amateur telescopes. Not 2013am. It’s been 10 days and the star remains stubbornly faint. Professional astronomers examined the light of the supernova on March 22 and gleaned a couple interesting tidbits. First, the blast is tearing the it apart, sending debris into space at over 4,300 miles (7,000 km) per second. Second, the star’s light is “reddened” or dimmed by dust along our line of sight.

Sombrero M104

I have never imaged the Sombrero galaxy before. I was still quite low in the sky early Thurday morning I could only manage 13 Minutes before the realisation that I had work the next day. I will revisit and give a great deal more scope time on this wonderful galaxy. Anyway here is a cropped image just to say I have bagged another one.  Adios Muchacho's.

M59, M60 Galaxies

The last couple of nights have been wonderfully clear. It's a shame I have had to work too next day, I closed up both nights just after 1.00am up again for 6.00am. My first target was was a couple of fuzzies of the virgo cluster. M59 and the mamoth eliptical galaxy M60. Harbouring one of the largest black holes ever found at about 4.5 billion solar masses. My image shows M60 and NGC4647 overlapping but there is no evidence to suggest the 2 are or have interacted in the distant past. At 55 Million light years away who know whats going on today.

1hr 15 minutes at ISO1600 has revealed a wealth of detail I am pleased with. I hope to revisit and pick up a few more photons soon.

Double the distance

In this image nestling in the maidens arms lie about a dozen galaxies. Starting with M90 upper left. The huge elliptical M89 to its right and lower down right centre The stunning M58 all lying between 50 to 68 million light years away that's about double what the previous image of  M95. I think I am going to need a new set of dark frames. I seem to have things right at the moment and was able to grab 5 minute autoguided exposures at Iso 800.

M84 & M86

This was the last of the imaging runs last friday. I wanted to feature markarians chain. A slight error on my part was to angle the camera in the wrong orientation thus imaged only part of the chain. I was still amazed at this composite of 57 x 2 minute exposures at ISO 800. I have managed to capture 35+ galaxies down to mag 16 the deepest yet for me and the 90mm refractor. If you can spot any more let me know!!!