A Galaxy in a Furnace

[strongmanmike]

Ok corny name I know... but I always think of a furnace (Fornax) when looking at this galaxy, right from the first time I went scouting around in Fornax and found this spectacular (many say the most spectacular) barred spiral galaxy, I wondered how anybody could possibly make out a furnace in the nondescript faint stars that make up this constellation :shrug: :screwy:...oh well :)

Anyway, t'is a Mini Data image :D just (over) a miserly 6hrs total and all collected in one night :cool: Seeing could have been better but it wasn't terrible and some frames were taken through high cloud :sadeyes:... oh and like my recent NGC 247 I actually used flats for this shot :D

Full Frame (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/158276954/original)

Closer up (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/158285996/original)

Enjoy (yes I know, a slight bit of noise in the background but...hey, it doesn't concern me :) besides smoothing further just looked a bit fake)

[Ryderscope]

Gee whiz Michael you have been busy! Beautiful colours and detail in this image. I like the way that you manage the capture the background galaxies.

RW

[Camelopardalis]

:eyepop: nice one Mike, you make it look easy... (and I know otherwise!)

[RobF]

Only moderately humungous. 102/100 perhaps?
:thumbsup:

[John Hothersall]

Very nice core dust lanes, I am sure you have imaged 1365 loads of times before - probably because its gorgeous!

John.

[astroron]

Splendid image Mike, Thanks for posting :thanx:
Cheers:thumbsup:

[Stevec35]

Probably your best NGC1365 Mike and there's certainly been a few.

Cheers

Steve

[alpal]

Hi Mike,
amazing for 6 hours.

cheers
Allan

[gregbradley]

Nice 1365 Mike. A well spent 6 hours!

Greg.

[Placidus]

Hi, Mike,
The dust lanes and core detail are astonishing. Well done.
Best, Mike

[Geoff45]

You just keep churning out the good stuff Mike. Do you ever sleep?
Geoff

[atalas]

Damn fine work Mike!

[multiweb]

One of my fav galaxies. Hope to shoot it one day. Very cool shot. :thumbsup:

[rustigsmed]

love this galaxy too! great job Mike.
really like the colour saturation.


Russ

[strongmanmike]

Thanks for checking it out guys and for the kind comments, glad it pleased :)

Yes I have imaged this galaxy a few times over the years but only with different systems...bit like M42 or Eta Carina neb, it is a good bright litmus test southern galaxy for a system and I think my versions have improved every iteration :thumbsup:...and as John says, she is just sooo purdy :love:

Mike

[pluto]

Beautiful image :)

[alistairsam]

looks great Mike, really like it.
was this the one that had the SN recently?

Cheers
Alistair

[DJT]

Thats pretty darned good. I like the way the really faint stuff at the top appears to loop down touching the spiral. cool:thumbsup:

[marc4darkskies]

Only looked at it on my work monitor ... but this looks beautiful Mike! :thumbsup: Nice "natural " colouring too :)

Hope I can get some clear sky this weekend so I can take a stab at it!

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Guys and yes it had a S/N in late 2012 (http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/147295492/original) - the last time I imaged 1365 actually :)

Marcus, I knew you would be having a crack at this gem, actually expected you were in the middle of one :)...if you get your 253 seeing again and with around twice my image scale, it should be a cracker :thumbsup:

Mike

[marc4darkskies]

Ha! Clouds, work, poor seeing and more clouds! Weekend looks like a shocker too weather wise!!! :mad2::mad2: :sadeyes:

[IanP]

Like it Mike, nice shot.
:thumbsup:
Is it 100% full frame or slightly cropped?

:question: how it would look like @ 1850mm FL …

[RickS]

A lovely 1365, Mike! I like the colours and the detail. I think it might be upside down, though :question: Whoops, it's me standing on my head. I'm in San Jose, California :D

I have a bit of data on this object from last year and a little more from the last new moon. I must slap it together and see how it looks.

Cheers,
Rick.

[Bassnut]

Very impressive Mike, excellent processing. I dont think its noisy at all.

[andyc]

Just 6 hours, your standards are slipping ;). Really lovely image, am enjoying the saturation of the colours too.

[cometcatcher]

Sweet image Mike. I could almost eat it. ;)

[Shiraz]

:thumbsup: a real beauty Mike - colour and detail look real, so processing is spot on.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Ian the full frame shot is indeed the full frame with only minor trimming to remove dithering and meridian flipping overlap...but it isn't so much the FL as the image scale of course, which involves CCD pixel size and scope FL, so with 1120mm FL and 4.54 micron pixels I am at 0.83"/pix... which can be achieved with any number of combinations of scope and chips, ie shorter FL need smaller pixels to get same image scale as longer FL and bigger pixels....of course you knew all that :question:... so sorry for telling you how to suck eggs :lol:



Well, get off your head mate and finish your image!!! :rolleyes: :lol:

Thanks Ricki :P



Thanks Fred, neither do I but hey, t'is well known I am not anal about noise levels :)...and have a partiality to blue :question:



Cheers Andy :thumbsup: :lol: yeah I know, to think I only spent one whole night on an image :rolleyes: :screwy:...mate, I should go directly to imaging jail, not pass go and not collect $200 :lol:...I'm impatient, so shoot me :P



Cheers Kevin..mmmmm, I just had an amazing home made bruschetta with crunchy thin toasted Italian bread, smoked trout, ripe red grape tomatoes, rocket, balsamic and extra virgin olive oil...now THAT was worth eating :D



On ya Rayzzor, glad you think so :)

[Ross G]

What a beautiful photo Mike.

My favourite of all your recent galaxy shots.

You are becoming the "Galaxy King".

Ross.

[strongmanmike]

Cool to hear Ross :)

Mike

[Rod771]

Nice flats Mike! :P The lights look pretty good too, well :question: awesome in fact. Well done!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[LewisM]

Questa è una straordinariamente bella interpretazione di quella galassia. Complimenti signore!

[LewisM]

Actually, now my new desktop.

[strongmanmike]

Fantastico ascoltare Lewis :thumbsup:

Michele :)

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Rod :thumbsup:

Mike

[CJ]

:eyepop:

[strongmanmike]

:thumbsup:

[Rex]

STUNNING!!!!!!...... there really is nothing else to say. Absolutely love this image of one of my favourite galaxies. Great capture and processing Mike. Something to aspire to.

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

Impressive Mike!:thumbsup:

Crisp detail, great colour.

I've been taking your lead for quite a while now and not using darks and some times flat's.

I've found that as my skill level rises it's easier to fix problems in PS, most times there's very little to process out.

Cheers,

Justin.

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Justin and Rex, seems this image appeals to a wide audience...I am certain however that Dr Malin would positively despise it :lol: bah! Darks and flats who needs'em overated :lol:...just kidding Paulie ;)

Mike

[Leonardo70]

Wonderful Mike...

All the best,
Leo

[strongmanmike]

Well...if you like it Leo then mate, I am happy :thumbsup:

Mike

[Geoff45]

Here's how Mike--see the little furnace in the bottom left hand corner.

[strongmanmike]

:lol: yeah I saw this map recently, could be anything :screwy:...looks more like a meth lab there...?

Brightest star - Alpha Methlabis

Mike

[Geoff45]

At least we don't have to worry about Machina Electrica anymore (next to Fornax)

[strongmanmike]

:lol: yes, some crazy dope smokers, even back then :lol:

Mike