M104 The Sombrero Galaxy

Click on image to enlarge

 

Winner (3rd place) - BINTEL Astrophotographer of the Year 2023: www.bintel.com.au/bintel-astrophotographer-of-the-year-20...

 

This famous galaxy in Virgo has a characteristic yellow hue from the many old stars in its gigantic spherical halo and the large amount of dust in the disc of the galaxy, which causes interstellar reddening. Young hot blue stars impart a very subtle blue hue to the outer regions of the galaxy disc. The outer edge of the galaxy has a detailed, thick and obscuring dust lane and is seen almost edge on from our vantage point, some 50 Million light years away. The galaxy gets its quirky name from its resemblance to the brim of the venerable Mexican hat.

 

NB: Only traditional deconvolution in Astroart image processing software was used, not AI based.

 

See the enormous halo and faint Malin Stellar Stream here: pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/173762928/original

 

See some other interesting features picked up in the data here: pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/173750113/original

 

Orion Optics UK AG12 F3.8

Starlightxpress TRIUS PRO-694 Midi Combi PRO Blue Edition incl.CFW & OAG unit

LRGB = 570min, 60min, 60min, 60min Combined total exposure 12.5 hrs

Astronomik Deep-Sky LRGB filters

-20C chip temp, flats used but no dark frames.

Focal length 1120mm

Image scale 0.84"/pix

FLI Atlas Focuser

Guide Camera: Starlightxpress Lodestar PRO

 

Comments

Data collected 11, 16 & 18 June 2023, new moon, good seeing (FWHM of individual Lum frames 1.5"-1.9")

and excellent transparency

 

Taken from Eagleview Observatory:

pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/eagleview_observatory

 

Equipment setup:

pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/173097781/original

Done