Galaxies

 

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31)

Exposure: 14m 15s (35 frames of 25s each), gain 280-320   Equipment: Sigma 300mm f/4 APO telephoto lens attached to ZWO ASI385MC camera   Date: 14-Nov-2020 18:14 UT  Location: Santa Venera. © Mario Aloisio

The Andromeda Galaxy is the nearest large galaxy to us, even though it is about 2.5 million light-years away. It is estimated to contain roughly one trillion (million million) stars, and it is so great that light needs around 200,000 years to travel from one end of this galaxy to the other. It is roughly twice the size of our own galaxy. From a dark site it can be seen with the naked eye.

A wide-angle view of M31 (the Andromeda Galaxy), M32 and M110

Exposure: 10m 42s (stack of 30 frames) Equipment: Sigma 300mm f/4 APO telephoto lens, Canon EOS Kiss X7i

Date: 2-March-2022 18:30 UTC Location: Santa Venera. © Mario Aloisio

A close-up of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31)

Exposure: 15 minutes (stack of 37 frames) Equipment: Sky-Watcher 150mm f/5 Newtonian, ZWO ASI385MC, prime focus

Date: 31-Oct-2022 19:30 UTC   Location: Santa Venera. © Mario Aloisio

The Triangulum Galaxy (M33) in constellation Triangulum   Exposure: 22m 5s (33 frames of 25s each)   Equipment: Sky-Watcher 150mm f/5 Newtonian, ZWO ASI 385MC, prime focus

Date: 14-Nov-2020 18:50 UTC Location: Santa Venera. © Mario Aloisio

This galaxy forms part of the so-called Local Group of galaxies. The local group is a collection of relatively nearby galaxies that include our own Milky Way galaxy and the famous Andromeda Galaxy. M33’s distance from us is approximately 2.9 million light years.

The dwarf galaxy NGC 5474 in constellation Ursa Major

Exposure: approximately 15 minutes (stack of 48 frames) Equipment: Omegon 203mm f/4 Newtonian, Starizona Nexus 0.75x coma corrector, ZWO ASI385MC

Date: 8-June-2023 22:30 UTC Location: Santa Venera. © Mario Aloisio

The bright star Merak (β UMa) and the faint lenticular galaxy NGC 3499 (centre of image)

Exposure: 3 minutes (stack of 12 frames, 15s each) Equipment: Omegon 203mm f/4 Newtonian, Starizona Nexus 0.75x reducer/coma corrector, ZWO ASI385MC

Date: 12-June-2023 21:47 UTC Location: Santa Venera. © Mario Aloisio

The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) in constellation Canes Venatici

Exposure: approximately 22 minutes (stack of 67 frames) Equipment: Omegon 203mm f/4 Newtonian, Starizona Nexus 0.75x reducer/coma corrector, ZWO ASI385MC, Optolong UHC filter, Celestron CG-5 GT mount

Date: 13-July-2023 20:40 UTC Location: Santa Venera. © Mario Aloisio