M100 V2.0
M100 is a stunning example of a grand-design spiral galaxy. This image reveals the galaxy’s prominent spiral arms. These dusty structures swirl around the galaxy’s nucleus and are marked by a flurry of star formation. M100’s characteristic arms also host several small black holes, including the youngest one ever observed in our cosmic neighborhood.
This image also reveals a handful of more distant galaxies, including NGC 4312 near the top.
The galaxy was discovered in 1781 by the French astronomer Pierre Méchain, Charles Messier’s fellow comet hunter who discovered eight comets in his lifetime. M100 is located 56 million light-years away from Earth and appears dim in the night sky. Its apparent magnitude of 10.1 means that, while it can be seen through small telescopes, it will appear only as a faint patch of light. Larger telescopes can resolve more details of this galaxy. M100 is located in the constellation Coma Berenices and is best observed during May.
Text from NASA Goddard
This was a test image, taken whenever my primary target was too low to image. But it turned out to be of such good quality I decided to post it as luminance only. This year I hope to add color data.
Taken from Blue Canyon California May 2021
Luminance only; 4.5 hours
Scope: TEC140, Camera QSI 683, Mount MYT
Reprocessed March 2023
M100 V2.0
M100 is a stunning example of a grand-design spiral galaxy. This image reveals the galaxy’s prominent spiral arms. These dusty structures swirl around the galaxy’s nucleus and are marked by a flurry of star formation. M100’s characteristic arms also host several small black holes, including the youngest one ever observed in our cosmic neighborhood.
This image also reveals a handful of more distant galaxies, including NGC 4312 near the top.
The galaxy was discovered in 1781 by the French astronomer Pierre Méchain, Charles Messier’s fellow comet hunter who discovered eight comets in his lifetime. M100 is located 56 million light-years away from Earth and appears dim in the night sky. Its apparent magnitude of 10.1 means that, while it can be seen through small telescopes, it will appear only as a faint patch of light. Larger telescopes can resolve more details of this galaxy. M100 is located in the constellation Coma Berenices and is best observed during May.
Text from NASA Goddard
This was a test image, taken whenever my primary target was too low to image. But it turned out to be of such good quality I decided to post it as luminance only. This year I hope to add color data.
Taken from Blue Canyon California May 2021
Luminance only; 4.5 hours
Scope: TEC140, Camera QSI 683, Mount MYT
Reprocessed March 2023