NGC 55: 13.5 hrs Ha

[Placidus]

NGC 55 in hydrogen alpha. 9 hrs 2x2 binned (to get the really faint stuff) from 2018, plus another 4h30 mins unbinned (hopefully to get at tiny bit more bright detail) from last night.

The galaxy looks for all the world like a bread stick wrapped in alfoil, very crumpled, catching the light.

But on close examination, standing well off in a spiral around about the brightest, fattest bit (slightly right of centre) there is what looks like a band of tinsel or perhaps barbed wire.

One wonders if this is a tidal tail, or whether it is a structure supported by a strong magnetic field. If so, it's pretty nifty.

Huge amounts of star formation happening.

Full field here (https://photos.smugmug.com/Category/Astrophotography-at-Placidus/i-3bzbTS4/0/b88035b6/O/NGC%2055%20Ha%209h%202x2%204h30%201 x1.jpg).

2018: Aspen CG16M. 9 x 1hr subs, 2x2 binned.
2021: FLI PL16803. 9 x 30 min subs, 1x1.
20 inch PlaneWave.
Field 34' arc, north up.

We're inspired to get more Ha, but it won't be this new moon.

[Andy01]

Colour me impressed M&T, that deep Ha detail should eventually make for an excellent HaLRGB image! :thumbsup:

[Placidus]

Thanks Andy. We did a little bit of L last night also, but not enough to bother processing. The beastie will be in a perfect position next new moon.

[gb44]

Nice one.
It looks like theres a helical structure around it.

GlennB

[multiweb]

Great shot Mike. Colour should be gorgeous. Good to see you getting some play time again :thumbsup:

[PKay]

Hi M&T

Your data is quite extraordinary.

Over the last few weeks I have looked at many images, and most (if not all) fail by comparison.

It will be very interesting to see how it evolves with the LRGB.

I'm now motivated to spend more time gathering Ha on 'The Whale' :)

Regards

[gregbradley]

Terrific image. I haven't seen it so detailed like that. It usually isn't that photogenic really.

Your image is bringing out its "inner beauty". hehehe

Don't judge a galaxy by its cover eh?

Greg

[Placidus]

Wikipedia mentions that NGC 55 and NGC 300 are probably gravitationally bound, and closer to us than the Sculptor group. Other articles hint that the messy morphology of NGC 55 is due to supernova explosions and stellar winds (that is to say, not due to a collision).



Yes, the helical structure is fascinating. Haven't found any technical publications that mention it.




Thanks Marc!



Thanks so much, that's very kind!



Thanks Greg, and very well put. Speaking of inner beauty, I half-glanced at a paper suggesting that NGC 55 is only just starting to form a core of red stars.

[strongmanmike]

Really is quite amazing seeing this galaxy in just Ha, with a bit of exposure, there is so much of the stuff, very cool.

Mike

[Placidus]

Thanks Mike. :)

A neat tidy spiral in RGB can look ageless, but this looks like a Super-Heroes' Dynamic Action Shot. Things are a-churning.

[Paul Haese]

Incredible amount of Ha showing. A couple of years ago I did 29 hours in Ha alone and whilst I got some loops more defined I did not get the level of Ha showing in your image. Then again it is a 20" v 12".

[Ryderscope]

Lovely work MnT. I’ve just about completed my imaging run on this one though I’m sure that your 20” Plane Wave will trump my little 5” of aperture :D

[Placidus]

Thanks Paul. I registered your 29 hr image to ours, blinked between them. I'm pleased to report that no hyperspace bypasses were constructed in the interim. The pixel-by-pixel correlation coefficient was 94 percent. We're doing good science here!



Thanks Rodney We recall your recent "BigToe" image, which was the Last Word. Spectacularly good. We look forward to your NGC 55.