Triangulum Galaxy (M 33)

clic for 35% size 1394 x 927 (301 kB)

clic here for 70% size 2787 x 1853 (1000 kB)


About this Image

The Triangulum galaxy M 33 is another prominent member of the Local Group of galaxies. This face-on galaxy is small compared to its big apparent neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy M31, and to our Milky Way galaxy, but by this more of average size for spiral galaxies in the universe.

The distance to M 33 is approx. 3 million light years.
Many young blue stars are resolved in the galaxy.

A huge H II region containing ionized hydrogene has obtained a NGC number of its own: NGC 604; it is situated in the northeastern part of the galaxy; apparently the bright knot at 1h from the center of this image. This is one of the largest H II regions known at all: it has a diameter of nearly 1500 light-years, and a spectrum similar to the Orion nebula M 42.

At least 2 asteroid trails can be seen at 4h and 9h half out from the center.
North is to the right.


Technical Details
Optics

16" cassegrain in corrected prime focus at f/3

Mount MK-100 GEM
Camera SBIG STL-11000M at -25C, internal filter wheel
Filters Astronomik RGB + Ha
Date Sep 30, 2005.
Location Wildon/Austria
Sky Conditions mag 5 sky, good transparency, temperature 12 C,
Exposure HaRGB= 30:80:60:80 min (10-minute sub-exposures for RGB, 30 min sub for Ha)
all 1x1.
Processing Image aquisition and calibration in Maxim DL 4.11; DDP in ImagesPlus;
Photoshop: Ha blended to red channel, curves, color balance, light unsharp mask;