Three lovely mild dry nights at Terroux allowed me to collect the data for this image and when the moon disappeared each night I had a great time visually inspecting many other galaxies in the area with the new visual scope - bliss
The Image:
Looking like a huge Colonial Galactica class Battlestar being chased by a small pack of Cylon Raider craft, NGC 247 in Cetus is actually a nearby dwarf spiral galaxy seen tilted somewhat edge on at a distance of about 11 Million light years away. This is the same distance as to the more famous nearby spiral NGC 253 but NGC 247 is only about 2/3 its size. At this relatively close distance many young star clusters with massive blue stars are clearly resolved and many pink HII regions of star birth can be seen scattered throughout the galactic disc.
Two of the much more distant line of small 15th+ magnitude galaxies, at the top right of the image, seem to be connected by a faint bridge of material, most likely stars.
EDIT: At the published 11 Million Light Years distance, the large reversed C shaped HII region at the bottom of the disc there I calculate as being approx 2400 Light years in size - that's one biiiiig nebula
Nice one Mike. Love the detail on the iddy biddy mini galaxies in the bridge an also the others splattered around all over the place. The full frame is pretty good as well.
Nice one Mike. Love the detail on the iddy biddy mini galaxies in the bridge an also the others splattered around all over the place. The full frame is pretty good as well.
Cheers Dave, yes iddy biddy galaxies are so cool
Quote:
Originally Posted by cometcatcher
Wonderful image Mike! I remember imaging this a couple of months back through your finderscope.
Oi I never saw you in my observatory ...musta been when I wasn't looking Thanks... so you image through a 50mm refractor huh?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevec35
That's a keeper Mike. Just a little too much saturation for my taste though.
Cheers
Steve
Cheers Steve, yes I'll keep it...colour, what can I say? I love it
Quote:
Originally Posted by dvj
Great work here Mike. The main galaxy is a bet of a "meh" for me visually. But I sure like the chain of galaxies in the upper right of the image.
I agree John... well I used to agree, I always thought it was a bit of a boring galaxy too but when I saw the framing I'd get and the resemblance to the star ship being chased by small attack craft coupled with the detail extractable I just had to image it
Quote:
Originally Posted by alpal
Hi Mike,
that's a nice one to add to your collection.
I can't find a better picture of those other 4 galaxies in a line.
I wonder if they have names?
cheers
Allan
Thanks Allan ...weeell, if you had read the credits under the image ummm?..you would know
Real nice image, Mike. That full frame is awesome, just love seeing all the background galaxies along with the chain of galaxies at the top. They almost look like a sequence of galaxy formation the way they are spaced evenly apart.
he he, many people miss image credits, always in a rush I am sure many don't even read the whole post, clicking straight on the image link and make comment after a few second look...ah life is too fast paced sometimes
Quote:
Originally Posted by cometcatcher
Feels like it sometimes lol.
My scope is only a 12" that aint so big...wish I had a 20"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Placidus
Oh, Mike, wow! That chain of four galaxies at the top right is just gorgeous! You've also nailed those ionized hydrogen regions.
Cheers Mike, I guess at least you would have no issue with the vibrant colours Yes the presence of Burbidge's Chain was the clincher for me to image this galaxy
Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroJason
Real nice image, Mike. That full frame is awesome, just love seeing all the background galaxies along with the chain of galaxies at the top. They almost look like a sequence of galaxy formation the way they are spaced evenly apart.
Yes early investigations concluded they were all formed together and are quite young maybe a Billion years or so old..?
Last edited by strongmanmike; 01-11-2014 at 10:57 AM.
he he, many people miss image credits, always in a rush I am sure many don't even read the whole post, clicking straight on the image link and make comment after a few second look...ah life is too fast passed sometimes
...musta been when I wasn't looking 
I am sure many don't even read the whole post, clicking straight on the image link and make comment after a few second look...ah life is too fast paced sometimes 
- I only saw the ABCD.
