LeoTriplets_LRGB_28-2-2025

I took this during a rare period of consecutive clear nights and was imaged after finishing off the Christmas Tree nebula. This was taken over 2 nights. The conditions were clear but the rather unstable atmosphere made guiding difficult. Though the galaxies are fine I’m not happy with the stars.

 

OBJECT DESCRIPTIONS:-

M65, M 66 & NGC3628 are part off the Leo Triplet. These Galaxies Lie approximately between 31 & 35 million ly from earth.

 

M65 is believed to have very little star formation going on and the number of old stars compered to new ones is quit high. It has a visual magnitude of 10.25.

 

M66 is believed to have had a interaction with NGC3628 in the past resulting in a very high central mass. There have been 5 supernovae observed between 1973 & 2018. It has a visual magnitude of 8.9.

 

NGC3628 also known as the Hamburger Galaxy. it is a unbarred spiral galaxy with a visual magnitude of 10.2.

 

EQUIPMENT:-

Explore Scientific 102mm F7 APO Carbon

Focal Reducer: Explore Scientific 0.7

Mount: AZ-EQ6 GT

ZWO ASI1600mm-Cool cmos camera

Orion Mini Auto Guide

ZWO L,R,G,B Filters

Chip Temp Cooled to -15 degC

 

IMAGING DETAILS:-

M66, M65 and NGC3628 (Leo)

Gain 139 (Unit Gain)

25 Red subs@180sec (1h 15min)

25 Green subs@180sec (1h 15min)

25 Blue subs@180sec (1h 15min)

50 lum subs@120sec (1h 40min)

Total imaging Time 5h 25min

Dithering

20 Darks

20 Flats

 

PROCESSING/GUIDING SOFTWARE:-

N.I.N.A

PHD2

DSS

GraXpert AI

StarNet++

Siril

Affinity photo 2

Done