Messier 81 (Bode's Galaxy)

Messier 81 is a spiral galaxy located around 12 million light years away in the constellation of Ursa Major. The galaxy's arms show many very active regions of star formation where hot, short-lived blue stars are heating the interstellar dust and gas causing them to emit strongly in the infrared and Ha spectra.

 

 

Location: West Midlands, UK

 

Scope: Orion Optics VX10 @f/4.8

Camera: Atik 460EX, Baader LHaRGB filters

Mount: SW AZ-EQ6-GT, OAG

 

Integration:

18 x 600s Bin x1 L

6 x 300s each Bin x2 RGB

6 x 600s Bin x2 Ha

 

Acquisition: SGP

 

Processing: PI and Photoshop

Done