Hickson Compact Group 90

[strongmanmike]

2020 has been kinda lean pickings :sadeyes: and like many of you I'm sure, I have a pretty long list of potential targets for various times in the year. However, not living in 300 clear nights a year Chile :rolleyes: and no fully automated remote rig, not to mention my scope is not even in my own backyard :doh:, so requires travel back and forth...inevitably time obviously gets away and so many candidates pass slowly by and get missed :(. Anyway, ever since I saw the HST version (https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090313.html) of this compact galaxy group, in Pisces Austrinus..it went on my list :D

At around 100 million light yeras, the galaxies are not of large apparent size (around 1 or 2 arc min each). The main interacting trio, comprised of two elliptical galaxies, NGC7173/6 and a distorted spiral NGC7174, are joined by an intriguing looking edge on Seyfert2 galaxy, NGC 7172, which looks like a coffee bean (or cheeseburger). The whole group is connected by a subtle hub of faint galactic steams and along with the big bright mag6, F class star, HD20953, some intra cluster light also contributes to the glowing vista.

HCG90 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/strongman/50356040526/in/dateposted) (click on image and pan around with your cursor)

To zoom around finding lots of galaxies, the full resolution version can be seen here (https://pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/171047500/original) :thumbsup:

Mike

[multiweb]

Wow that's pretty special. Love the field and processing. One for the cool wall :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[astroron]

Great work Mike.
I have observed this group through
the 16",always worth another look.
Cheers:thumbsup:

[vlazg]

Very nice Mike, lots to look at , detail is awesome. :thumbsup:

[codemonkey]

Now there's one you don't see every day. Cool field, tastefully processed. Well done as usual, Mike.

[marc4darkskies]

Smooth, deep, sharp and interesting! Very nicely done Mike! :thumbsup:

[tornado33]

Love those tidal streams of stars seeming to flow away from the galaxies, an image so deep to show that yet inner detail well preserved, and a perfectly balanced neutral sky background. Great work! I always knew when you bought that fast scope we would see some great images come from it.

[Cosmic]

Loving the finer detail that you capture in these images Mike. Awesome work as always!

[Placidus]

Wow! So those little beauties are only two or three times the size of Jupiter, but incalculably fainter.

With that in mind, the dust detail that you've revealed in the leftmost and rightmost galaxies is amazing.

And then the tidal tails. :eyepop:

[Ryderscope]

Excellent work Mike. The Hickson galaxy groups make for good targets, both visually and imaging.

[Andy01]

What's not to like & enjoy here? :question:

Perfect star colours, interesting target, lots of tiny galaxies in the background to play "Where's Wally" with and a well composed & framed image of an unusual target. :thumbsup:

Bravo Mike! :bowdown:

[strongmanmike]

Thankyou all for your very nice comments (Andy...you may rise my son :lol:). I love getting out under the stars at the best of times but with the lean pickings this year, every session has just that more meaning :) One of the imaging sessions for this latest shot was conducted after a great couple'a hours of visual sky tours during an out door house warming shin dig, complete with bonfire, pizza and delish Muld wine :drink:...then when everyone went to bed I shot some data until dawn :D...bliss :thumbsup:

Mike

[GUS.K]

Thanks for sharing this, Mike. Although I'm not an imager, I enjoy browsing this forum for some objects to add to my visual list. Had a look last night at these galaxies, but conditions weren't great, about 150x max with the 18 inch scope, will try again Wednesday night which is looking good at this stage.

[ChrisV]

That's pretty spectacular Mike. Thanks for showing

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Ivan. Yes, this would be a good group to examine through a good sized aperture under dark skies. A mate of mine has a sensational 24" F4.2 SDM dob, located under, quite literally, perfect dark skies (ie zero light pollution) in far north QLD and I'd love to take a peek at these through that...if you are reading this Tim, have a go... and make us all jealous :)



No worries Chris :thumbsup:

Mike

[gregbradley]

Nicely done Mike. Your galaxy imaging rig works exceptionally well which is a feat in itself.

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

Thanks Greg, I'm happy enough with it :thumbsup: :)...dunno about it being a particular feat though :question: some good gear :astron: with an experienced driver :drink::driving: and a proper de-brief after an imaging run :painting::drink:, meah, piece of cake :D :drink: :innocent:

Mike

[topheart]

Very very nice Mike!!
A lovely FOV!!
It is great to image less often seen targets....
Congrats!!
Cheers,
Tim

[strongmanmike]

Thanks a lot Timbo :thumbsup: Yeah, the specky objects are good too but after so many years at this caper, hitting some more intriguing targets more often, is quite rewarding :)

Mike

[Paul Haese]

Nice image Mike. The detail in the central galaxies is excellent. Loads of galaxies within the field and the shells are easily seen too. Pity those two bright stars are in the field you probably could have revealed more of the shells.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Paul :thumbsup: Yeah, there is actually a faint tidal stream passing to the left, up over the bright star, that has been disguised a little in the glare :doh: ..tried to reveal it best I could :)

Mike

[Atmos]

Really interesting Michael, they've come up quite well :thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Col, yeah, I recon they did too :)..it was mostly the faint tidal activity that attracted me.

Mike