NGC4631 is a barred spiral galaxy about 30 million light years away, appearing in the constellation Canes Venatici. Nearby is NGC4627, a dwarf elliptical galaxy. Because NGC4631 has the shape of a whale, it and NGC4627 are often referred to as the Whale and Pup.
Toward the left is irregular galaxy NGC4656, also known as the Hockey Stick Galaxy or the Crowbar Galaxy. The faint blue patch above it is NGC4657, another irregular galaxy. The interaction between the two is distorting them both.
One goal while acquiring and processing this image was to reveal this galaxy pair's faint blue regions
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| Processing |
• With PixInsight: ☞ Calibrate, star-align, integrate subframes, ☞ Background neutralization ☞ Curves adjustment ☞ Process for high-dynamic range • Final tweaking in Photoshop CS6 |
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• 2021: April 3 & 5 • 2022: March 25, 26, 27 & 28 • Louisa County, Virginia, USA |
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Equipment |
• TMB-130SS APO refractor @ f/7 on an A-P 1200 mount • ZWO ASI-1600MC Pro color camera • Guided with a ZWO ASI-120M camera on a 60mm f/5 scope • Imaging and autoguiding with MaxIm DL 6.20 • Automated image acquisition with ACP Observatory Control |
Updated May 23, 2023