NGC 1097: Nucleus and star-bridges

[Placidus]

Three one-hour subs, unbinned.

Processed to show both the fine detail of the active galactic nucleus and two of the four star-bridges or dead-straight ray-like tidal tails allegedly from cannibalizing companions, one at 7 and one at 8 o'clock. The bottom one has a 'foot' on it, like a hockey stick. The 8 o'clock one is thinner, like a billiard cue.

We had also rattled off an additional 8 hours of 2x2 binned shots, hoping to really chase these tails more clearly, but there was some thin cirrostratus about, which completely hid the star-bridges. So we now know to only try on the darkest of clearest cloudless nights. Perhaps just that discovery is worth posting.

Not good enough, summer is i-cumin in, and we're unlikely to get any more this year, but we very much wanted to post it, because it is an intriguing galaxy, new to us, and we saw more than we expected in just 3 hours.

Things to see apart from the hockey-playing star-bridges: A very well-developed bar, complete with fine dust being funneled into the nucleus. Two spiral arms attached to the tips of the bar, showing conspicuous ribbons of bright star formation. A companion getting munched in the tentacles of the upper spiral.

Larger version here. (http://www.mikeberthonjones.smugmug.com/Category/Astrophotography-at-Placidus/i-NzVH4CS/0/X2/0070%20NGC%201097%203hrs-X2.jpg)

Best,
Mike n Trish

[RickS]

Nice detail, Mike. Will be interesting to see if you can get all four jets.

[strongmanmike]

Go on...show him Ricki ;) :D

Mikw

[Placidus]

Thanks, Rick, Your shot is of course vastly super-good, and shows three of the four jets. I'm not sure that anyone much, even the stunning Robert Gendler and Martin Pugh APOD shots, have really convincingly absolutely definitely got the fourth jet.

I'll be pleased if next year I can get the background a bit smoother, and find the short-n-stumpy third jet. Winter 2015 perhaps.

Best,
Mike

[Placidus]

Hi, Michael,
The link to your shot from IIS seems to be broken, but Google found it. Stunning. Perhaps now that I'm getting my eye in, you and Rick both have three and a half jets each, or seven altogether :).

Best,
Mike

[RickS]

Mike,

I managed to convince myself, at least, that R4 is visible in the inverted image: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=152459 It's very faint but in the right spot according to the literature, e.g. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2003ApJ...585..281H

Cheers,
Rick.

[cometcatcher]

This is the shot I would have liked, but not with my gear. Excellent shot Mike.

[strongmanmike]

:lol:...yeah it looks to be in my negative data (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/152760644/original)but Ricks million hour effort does appear to confirm nicely the location of jet 4 :thumbsup:

Yours is a fine result too Mike with lots of detail, well done.

Mike

[AstroJason]

Really nice image, Mike. 1 hour subs, just amazing. I would be so nervous around the 59 minute mark hoping a plane or cloud won't zip through the frame! Love the detail and the visible jets.

Jason

[multiweb]

That's a corker Mike. I really like the sharpness and details on that one. Better start building a poolroom now. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Placidus]

Marc and Jason, many thanks! We were pleased with the inner core.

Drat: the "larger image" was the same size as the little fellow.

The real link to the 1x1 image is here. (http://www.mikeberthonjones.smugmug.com/Category/Astrophotography-at-Placidus/i-NzVH4CS/0/O/0070%20NGC%201097%203hrs.jpg)

[strongmanmike]

Wow, that's awesome! :thumbsup:

Mike

[Stevec35]

A top notch NGC 1097 Mike. My camera would bloom all over the place if you did one hour subs.

Cheers

Steve

[Bassnut]

Pin sharp and excellent detail, top work Mike n Trish :thumbsup:

[DJT]

That's a great image, Mike n Trish

Love the detail and the hunt for the Jets, great fun. But one hour subs, awesome stuff. :thumbsup:

[marc4darkskies]

Very nicely done Mike & Trish!

Cheers, Marcus

[alpal]

Hi Mike & Trish
Excellent result -
how come the stars didn't bloom or bleed with such a long shot?

cheers
Allan

[Ross G]

Another amazing photo Mike.

Excellent detail and sharpness.

Ross.

[Rex]

Awesome detail and very sharp, great job Mike and Trish.

[Placidus]

[QUOTE=Ross G;1129541]Another amazing photo Mike.
Excellent detail and sharpness.
QUOTE]

[Placidus]

Pressed the wrong button. Meant to say individually thanks so much for the encouragement.

Which brings me to a story. Last weekend, we did a massive recabling job, and I wanted to test the slew limits to make sure the cables were still long enough. Plugged the RA into the Dec microcontroller and vice versa. I was swatching the RA slew. Very comfortable. With 25 mm before the scope slammed physically into the saddle of the fork at full power, my ever watchful co-pilot Trish said, "is it going to stop?". No it wouldn't, because the software slew limits assumed I had the cables in the right holes. Finger-trouble rules the world. Pleased to report that I clicked "cancel" just in time.

[Paul Haese]

Urgh, this target has been on my list for a few years and whilst I am waiting for my camera to be fixed (currently on its way to SBIG) I see this image. Feeling sad. At least it is only transiting at 2:54 tonight. Still time yet.

Nice work Mike. Good detail and smooth.

[Placidus]

Thanks, Paul! Best of luck with expeditious camera repair.

[sjastro]

Nice image Mike & Trish.

I hope you don't mind but I pixel mapped and inverted your image to reveal 3 of the jets.
I think I can see Jet 4 as well but it might be a case of pareidolia.:)

Regards

Steven

[Placidus]

Thanks, Steven, enlightening and perhaps encouraging. We set out last night to gather more data, but when the wind hit 45 KPH, the lower flap of the dome was bouncing like a beach-towel being shaken free of sand, and we chickened out. (30 is our limit). Had fun looking up pareidolia.

[Shiraz]

cracking good image Mike - excellent clarity and detail.