Galaxy Identification

[kenJ]

Hi all,

I took this photograph in Summer 2013 on our campsite in Cornwall. Could anyone please identify the object/galaxy to the top right of the Milky Way?

Many thanks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/86174217@N04/9495190632/in/set-72157631320095076

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Very nice image. I'm think it's a reflection in the lens, I wouldn't expect Andromeda and M32 to show up that brightly but I'm not completely sure. Note how they are the same colour as the bright light at the campsite.

You could try uploading the image to Astromety.net - it performs automatic plate matching and identifies the consteallations in an image.

[ronin]

If looking North and a bit East for the galactic plane then M31 is about the right place, the star off to the right being Alpharatz is a possibility.

Cannot make out Casseiopia or much else to help.

Used a date of Aug 1st and midnight in Stellarium.

[narrowbandpaul]

This image is taken looking south,looking toward the centre of the Milky Way. Andromeda is no where near the general direction of Aquila and scutum. It's definitely a lens flare. As pointed out it's the same colour. I don't know of any large astronomical objects in that direction that have large sodium emission.

Very nice image though, but it's a lens flare.

Paul

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Had a look on Stellarium. I agree with Starman_1969 on the Flickr comments that the teapot asterism is at the bottom, so it's looking towards Sagittarius. Definitely a lens artifact I'm afraid, but it's still a lovely image.

[m37]

Hey, that's a nice picture dude.

[kenJ]

Thanks all, I am being a bit stubborn not really wanting to believe it is a lens flare. I will be back in Cornwall this Summer so will try to re-take the image and this time find an area without this light or cover it up!

[narrowbandpaul]

There are many mosaics available of the Milky Way online. Have a look through these. This should be enough to convince you. It would be nice if you had discovered a galaxy toward the centre of the Milky Way but unfortunately you haven't. It's not possible. The amount of dust on that line of sight would create so much extinction as to render it very faint in visible light. You would need to look in the IR and your camera is IR blocked.

Paul

[Benton1991]

Stunning picture!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[LukeSkywatcher]

Lovely image. I do agree though that the anomolies do appear to be lens reflection.