Mark Sansom
NGC 300.
It was discovered on 5 August 1826 by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop. Located in the southern constellation Sculptor, NGC 300 measures 22 arc-minutes in apparent size and is only about 6 million light years distant. By comparison, M31 is 2.5 million, M33 2.73 million.
The spiral arms are full of young blue stars with H alpha regions interspersed throughout the galaxy. Although it appears to be face-on, it’s actually inclined at an angle of 42 degrees. It is gravitationally interacting with nearby NGC 55.
NGC 300 closely resembles M33. Both are replete with nebulae bright in Ha and OIII, both are similarly inclined spirals and both produce large numbers of unresolved stars that look like noise.
140×30″ unguided from suburbia.
15th October 2025
GSO 8" f/4 Imaging Newtonian
Canon EOS 60D (modified)
Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 PRO
IDAS LPS-P2 50 mm
GSO Coma Corrector.
Adobe Lightroom & APP.
NGC 300.
It was discovered on 5 August 1826 by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop. Located in the southern constellation Sculptor, NGC 300 measures 22 arc-minutes in apparent size and is only about 6 million light years distant. By comparison, M31 is 2.5 million, M33 2.73 million.
The spiral arms are full of young blue stars with H alpha regions interspersed throughout the galaxy. Although it appears to be face-on, it’s actually inclined at an angle of 42 degrees. It is gravitationally interacting with nearby NGC 55.
NGC 300 closely resembles M33. Both are replete with nebulae bright in Ha and OIII, both are similarly inclined spirals and both produce large numbers of unresolved stars that look like noise.
140×30″ unguided from suburbia.
15th October 2025
GSO 8" f/4 Imaging Newtonian
Canon EOS 60D (modified)
Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 PRO
IDAS LPS-P2 50 mm
GSO Coma Corrector.
Adobe Lightroom & APP.