NGC1097, a barred spiral with a smaller companion galaxy interacting with one of the arms. This galaxy would look great with more aperture, longer focal length and better conditions. Possibly one to aim for in the future.
Canon 300D, unmodded, ED80 and 6.3 FR. 6X240sec @ ISO800. Initial processing in ImagesPlus, curves and levels in PS, noise in NeatImage, and PS for resizing.
I'm playing more than anything Andrew. If I put the FR on the Meade I'd have f/6.3 and 1250mm focal length so plenty of scale there. I'm trying to see if I can convince myself to buy a proper refractor FR. I figure it would be great for taking widefield mosaics. Atm thought the Meade one just doesn't do it for me. In the hi-res version of this shot the stars in the corners are triangles. But if you've got a FR for a refractor handy, I'd love to give it a go
Nice image Paul, clear and detailed. I like the way the it stands out against the vastness of space.
To quote The hitchhikers guide "Space is really big"