Clic here for 70% size 2730x1833 (450 kB)
Clic here for a boosted pure L image at 70% size 2775x1835 (800 kB - !mouseover for labels!)
The bright and colorful Sb spiral galaxy M106, also designated NGC 4258, is a relatively close 25 million light years away and spans 30000 light years across,
it lies in the constellation of Canes Venatici.
105mm TMB refractor with flattener at f/6.5
About this Image
It may be a member of the Ursa Major cloud, a loose agglomeration of galaxies, checkout details: here.
An unusual central glow makes M106 one of the closest examples of the Seyfert class of galaxies, where vast amounts of glowing gas are thought to be falling into a central massive black hole.
A cloesup at M106 is shown below at 50/100% size.
Clocwise from 106 you see: NGC4248, NGC4231, NGC4232, NGC4217, NGC4226 and UGC7356.
The 4.4 hours total exposure makes a lot of companion and background galaxies visible too, a collection of the brightest galaxies
is shown in the image below in 100% size.
Technical Details
Optics
Mount
MK-100 GEM
Camera
SBIG STL-11000M at -25C, 1x1 bin, internal filter wheel
Filters
Astronomik LRGB
Date
15 Apr 2004.
Location
Wildon/Austria
Sky Conditions
mag 5 sky, medium transparency, humid, temperature 5 C
Exposure
L:R:G:B = 200:20:20:20 minutes (5-minute sub-exposures),
Processing
Image aquisition in CCDsoft;
Image calibration, aligning, sigma median stacking, color synthesis, DDP in ImagesPlus; color balance, curves in Photoshop; size 18/35/70%;
north is up;