M101 the Pinwheel galaxy
M101, the Pinwheel galaxy,
is a face on spiral galaxy in Ursa Major measured at a distance of 21 million
light years. The bright structure to the
right of M101 is the peculiar galaxy NCG 5474.
Peculiar galaxies are dwarf galaxies that form as a result of galaxies
interacting. The gravitational pull from
nearby galaxies causes the peculiar galaxy to be of unusual shape size or
composition.
This was imaged from dark
skies of Chiefland , Florida
and light polluted skies of Ocala ,
Florida
Luminance: combination of 8 minute, 15 minute and 30
minute subs totaling 11 hours and 8 minutes.
Red 6min x3 and 8min x3
Green 6min x3 and 8min x3
Blue 6min x3 and 8min x3
Imaging telescope: Orion 80mm EON
Imaging camera: QSI 683 wsg-8
Losmandy G11 with Gemini 2
German equatorial mount.
