NGC1097 and the elusive 4th jet

[RickS]

Here is NGC 1097, a nice barred spiral galaxy in Fornax, recently imaged beautifully by Mike Sidonio and Martin Pugh. I was about to post my original version when Mike posted his. I decided I needed to have something special to add, so I managed to get another night of data with some long luminance frames and I believe I have managed to show the elusive 4th jet, at least in a heavily stretched inverted image. Mike's inverted image also shows traces of this jet, but I reckon it's much easier to see in his after looking at mine ;)

This is a LRGB image taken at Leyburn, 4/5 October and Glen Aplin 1 November, 2013.

Scope: Ceravolo C300 @ f/9 = 2760mm FL, Atlas focuser
Mount: AP900
Camera: U16M
Filters: Astrodon E series Gen 2 LRGB
Guiding: Lodestar / MMOAG
Image scale: 0.67 arcsec/pixel
Exposures: 41x900s + 1x1800s + 10x1200s Lum, 11x900s R, 11x900s G, 11x900s B (total: 22.3 hrs)
Image capture: ACP, MaximDL
Processing: PixInsight

NGC 1097 aka Arp 77, is a very weird galaxy. It contains a small elliptical galaxy, NGC 1097A, which is in the process of merging with 1097. It also has four faint jets in an "X" pattern which are the largest visible jets of any known galaxy. According to the research papers, these jets are made of stars and are probably the remnants of a dwarf galaxy which has been torn to pieces. One of the brightest jets, R1, has a strange right-angle at the end of it which is called the "dogleg."

NGC 1097 is also a Seyfert galaxy with a supermassive black hole at its center surrounded by a ring of active star-forming regions. It is a strong radio source and bright in the far infrared indicating the presence of warm dust.

R4, the dimmest jet, has a surface brightness of 27.6 mag/arcsec^2. That's really, really, dim.

Hope you enjoy the images and constructive criticism is always appreciated.

Higher res images...
NGC1097: http://www.astrobin.com/65880/ (http://rickstevenson.smugmug.com/Astro-Photography/2013-11/i-RGR5b78/0/X3/NGC1097_RGB_v3ps-crop-med-X3.jpg)
Inverted image with jets: http://www.astrobin.com/65881/ (http://rickstevenson.smugmug.com/Astro-Photography/2013-11/i-79DWzF2/0/X3/NGC1097_v3_Jets-med-X3.jpg)

Cheers,
Rick.

[Rod771]

Top shelf Rick! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Even all the little fuzzies in the background are prominent.

Well done.

[Larryp]

Lovely image!

[Shiraz]

Wow, what a wonderful image Rick - really excellent detail and colour. really nailed that one. regards Ray

[RickS]

Thanks, Rod!

I just noticed that I meant to post the Astrobin image, which is full res, instead of the Smugmug one. It is here: http://www.astrobin.com/65880/

Cheers,
Rick.

[RickS]

Thanks, Laurie & Ray!

Ray: I could have done it quicker with an ICX-694 and my scope at f/4.9 but I got there in the end :thumbsup:

[Rod771]

Liked on Astrobin, lets see if you can get "image of the day" ....:)

Looks great!

[Peter Ward]

Good to see the Ceravolo is capable of producing such excellent results. I think the F9
has produced more details than previously posted efforts.

Wow. Very impressive. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Shiraz]

I wouldn't think about changing anything at all if you can get images like that :)

[strongmanmike]

As already discussed Rick, great job :thumbsup:.. and nicely presented, there can be no dispute now about the 4th jet :cheers:..now please image NGC 1232 and prove that I have cloths on (or not). I am glad I spurred you on too ;) getting the extra data was certainly worthwhile :thumbsup:

Mike

[ozstronomer]

Great Image Rick, the extra data really adds to the image :thumbsup:

[RickS]

Thanks very much for that, Rod!



Thanks, Peter.



There's always room for improvement, Ray :)



Thanks, Mike. Happy to have a go at NCG 1232 if we get some good weather this summer :shrug:

[John Hothersall]

The core is stunning and that bright star with the colourful diff spikes is amusing. The galaxy jets and background galaxies are great details. All in all a wonderful result.

John.

[alpal]

That's a great image - as good as the many APODs of this galaxy
which show the jets..

[ChrisM]

Great image Rick. Those jets that you have captured are amazing.
I dream of getting 30 minutes of data, let alone 22 hours!
Chris

[RobF]

Glad to see you've finally hatched this one Rick, and wonderful work for all the hard work I know you've put into it. How many photons per minute did you say that 4th jet was putting out??

[RickS]

Thanks, John. I didn't notice colour in my diffraction spikes before the Ceravolo. Hubble does that too so I'm in good company :)



Thanks, Allan.



Ta, Chris. We had some decent weather over winter which was conducive to longer projects. Doesn't look so great now, though :sadeyes:

[RickS]

Thanks, Rob. Between work trips away and dying SSDs and HDDs it took me a while. I have another couple of images still to finish. Better get cracking!

I was only getting a couple of electrons per pixel in a 20 minute exposure from jet 4. Pretty amazing that you can pick that up at all. It certainly wouldn't be possible without overscan calibration and long exposures.

Cheers,
Rick.

[gregbradley]

A beautiful image Rick.

That's very nicely done and lots of exposure has really brought it out.

Top work. You are very patient which is a good virtue for an astrophotographer.

Greg.

[RickS]

Thanks very much, Greg. I don't feel that patient :)

[marc4darkskies]

Mmmm ... F9! :) Outstanding result Rick - that's a "wow" image! Amazing 22 hr effort, stunning detail and well done exposing the jets!! :thumbsup:

Cheers, Marcus

[Paul Haese]

This is even better than when I saw this a month or so ago on FB. Excellent image, really like the colour. Superb.

[RickS]

Thanks, Marcus!



Ta, Paul. The FB image was before I collected the last night of data and was just a quick process. Took me a while to figure out some strategies for fixing problems like the big, ugly star halos in the previous version.

[Rex]

Stunning image Rick. Nothing else to say really.

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

Beautiful work Rick!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Crisp and colourful.

Cheers,

Justin.

[allan gould]

Superb image and it's all been said before by others. Thanks for posting such a great effort.
Allan

[RickS]

Thanks, Rex, Justin & Allan!

[Kunama]

You just bumped Peter's image off my Desktop !!!!

[RickS]

It made Runner Up today, thanks Rod.



Thanks, Matt. I'm sure it's just a matter of time until I get bumped off. Fame is so fleeting :lol:

[jase]

Top shelf material, Rick. No small order in bringing out the faint stuff, especially at F/9. Love the details and colours you've produced with the data set. Other reports indicate the additional nights worth of data has done the trick. I would tend to agree. Very pleasing result and presentation. Keep up the splendid work.

[Bassnut]

wow, sharp as and just pops out of the screen, excellent work.

[RickS]

Thanks, Jase & Fred!

[RickS]

Astrobin "Image of the Day" today :thumbsup:

[Rod771]

Hey yeah!!! :party2:

I just logged on to Astrobin to see a familiar image "up in lights" on the home page. :D

Well done Rick! Congratulations! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[PeterM]

Is there anything else one can say that hasn't already been said?
Love your work!
Peter

[multiweb]

Very impressive at F9. Not a small feat. :thumbsup:

[RickS]

Thanks Rod, Peter & Marc!

[E_ri_k]

That's amazing Greg. So much detail! What's the go with the jet in the right hand corner, shooting off in a different direction to the others?
Erik

[RickS]

Thanks, Erik. The right angle bend in R1 is called the "dog-leg." It has been a topic of some study. This paper (http://iopscience.iop.org/0004-637X/585/1/281) describes an n-body simulation which demonstrates similar shaped jets forming in a minor merger.

Cheers,
Rick.

[marco]

FANTASTIC shot Rick! Extremely deep and great color balancing too, top notch :thumbsup:

Clear skies
Marco

[RickS]

Thanks, Marco!

[Leonardo70]

Wow, congrats for the result. Dreaming setup.

All the best,
Leo

[RickS]

Thanks, Leo.

[Ross G]

A stunning galaxy photo Rick.

Amazing colour and detail.

Ross.