IC 342 Hidden Galaxy

Hidden Galaxy

IC 342 (also known as Caldwell 5) is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis, located relatively close to the Milky Way. Despite its size and actual brightness, its location in dusty areas near the galactic equator makes it difficult to observe, leading to the nickname "The Hidden Galaxy",[4][1] though it can readily be detected even with binoculars.[5] If the galaxy were not obscured, it would be visible by naked eye. The dust makes it difficult to determine its precise distance; modern estimates range from about 7 Mly[6] to about 11 Mly.[2] The galaxy was discovered by William Frederick Denning in 1892.[7] It is one of the brightest in the IC 342/Maffei Group, one of the closest galaxy groups to the Local Group. Edwin Hubble first thought it to be in the Local Group, but it was later determined not to be a member.[8]

In 1935, Harlow Shapley found that it was wider than the full moon, and by angular size the third-largest spiral galaxy then known, smaller only than the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Triangulum Galaxy (M33).[9] (Modern estimates are more conservative, giving the apparent size as one-half to two-thirds the diameter of the full moon).[1][5]

It has an H II nucleus. The galaxy has a diameter of 75 000 light-years.[10]

120 each RGB filter @ 15 seconds each Gain 200 offset 5

30 darks at 31F

Scope: Orion 8" f4 Astrograph with Baader Coma Corrector

Mount: iOptron iEQ45 pro

Camera: ZWO ASI183M non cooled

ZWO 8 position 1.25 filter wheel filter wheel

ZWO LRGB

Moonlite focuser CR2

Moonlight Hi Res stepper motor

MyFocuser Pro v2 (Robert Brown) controller

Home Observatory

Software: N.I.N.A., PHD2, Sharpcap, CdC, Pixinsight, Photoshop, Team Viewer,

Done