My "best of..." Galaxies from the 2012/2013 imaging season

[Steve Coates]

M106 with accompanying galaxies NGC 4217, NGC 4248, NGC 4232, NGC 4231 and NGC 4220.
Spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici
~23.7 million light years distant
March 14 and 15, 2013
Ocala, FL
Combination of 6 min and 10 min exposures stacked in DSS for a total of 6 hours 40 min
1 hours each RGB
3 hours and 40 min Luminance
PS CS5
Orion 80mm EON
Orion 50mm guidescope with SSAG
QSI 683 ws
Losmandy G-11 with Gemini II
Hutech IDAS Light Pollution Suppression (LPS) Filter

M109
Barred spiral galaxy in Ursa Major
~83 million light years distant
March 5, 6 and 7, 2013 (Luminance)
February 11, 2012 (RGB)
Ocala, FL
6 min Luminance with QSI 683 stacked in DSS for a total of 4 hours and 28 min.
6 min RGB exposures stacked in DSS for a total of 3 hours 49 min with a Canon T1i
PS CS5
AT8RC (Luminance)
AT6RC (RGB)
Orion 50mm guidescope with SSAG
QSI 683ws CCD cooled camera
Canon T1i (Hap Griffin modified)
Losmandy G-11 with Gemini II
Hutech IDAS Light Pollution Suppression (LPS) Filter

M81/M82 Bode's galaxy and Cigar galaxy with accompanying galaxies NGC 2976 (upper right) and NGC 3077 (bottom right)
Constellation: Ursa Major
~11.8 million light years distant
The galaxy center is active with high rate of star formation caused by the gravitational effect from nearby spiral galaxy, M81.
January 31, 2012 and February 1 and 2, 2013
Ocala, FL
RGB 6 min subs for a total of 1 hour each channel
Luminance (with IDAS LP filter) combination of 4 min, 6 min and 10 min subs totaling 6 hours and 16 min
Ha 15 min subs for a total of 1 hour
PS CS5
Orion 80mm EON
Orion 50mm guidescope with SSAG
QSI 683ws
Losmandy G-11 with Gemini II
DSLR data:
1/26 and 1/28/11
Ocala, FL
180 sec. exposure stacked in DSS for a total of 6 hour 20 min
PS CS5
Orion 80mm EON
Orion 80mm guide scope with SSAG
Canon T1i
CG-5 mount (HyperTuned)
Atronomik CLS light pollution filter clip for Canon EOS

NGC 253 the Sculptor galaxy
Constellation Sculptor
~11.4 million light years distant
Imaged November 2nd and 3rd, 2012 from Ocala, Florida.
LRGB L:3 hours and 22min RGB 1 hour each
PS CS5
Orion 80mm EON
Orion 50mm guidescope with SSAG
QSI 683ws
Losmandy G-11 with Gemini II

M33 the Triangulum galaxy
Spiral galaxy ~3 million light years distant
Constellation Triangulum
October 21 and 22, 2012
Ocala, FL
L 48min
R 60min
G 60min
B 60min
Ha 60min
PS CS5
Orion 80mm EON
Orion 50mm guide scope with SSAG
QSI 683cw
Losmandy G11 with Gemini II

the Whirlpool galaxy
Constellation Canes Venatici
~31 million light years distant
April 13 and 14, 2012
Ocala, FL
Combination of 4 min, 6 min and 8 min exposures stacked in DSS for a total integration time of 5 hours and 48 min.
PS CS5
Astro-Tech 8" Richey-Chretien
Orion 50mm guide scope with SSAG
Canon T1i
Losmandy G-11 with Gemini II
IDAS LP filter