NGC3486

[petevasey]

NGC3486 is a slightly barred magnitude 10.3 spiral galaxy in Leo Minor. Very attractive with its multiple arms. I'd been well out of action for a couple of weeks - my right hip joint was badly worn and was replaced on 9th February. But by 27th I was fairly active and able to do an imaging run with this result. Although the sky was clear, seeing was poor, so finer detail was not going to be available, and I binned all images 2x2. QSI 683wsg on RC10 with SX AO unit. Luminance 15 x 10 minutes, RGB each 6 x 10 minutes. North is up. The small galaxy mid way between 3486 and the bright star is 15.5 mag PGC 33184.

Peter

[Grogfish]

Very nice image, and a fascinating galaxy - not one I recall seeing before. Thank you for sharing

[ollypenrice]

Lots of detail in a tiny target by amateur standards. Good going, Peter.

Sorry about the hip but glad to hear it seems to have gone well. Take care,

Olly

[petevasey]

10 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Lots of detail in a tiny target by amateur standards. Good going, Peter.

Olly

Thanks, Olly - too kind!  I've been experiencing poor seeing most of this season.  I look for a value around 3 or less at the 2 metre focal length of my RC10, for best results below 2.5 which hardly ever happens.  But for this image it was jumping between 4.5 and 6 from one 1 second focus frame to the next.  Very difficult to find best focus. and the AO unit constantly making quite large corrections when guiding.  "Twinkle twinkle little star".  I yearn for your steady skies ?

Cheers,

Peter

[ollypenrice]

10 minutes ago, petevasey said:

Thanks, Olly - too kind!  I've been experiencing poor seeing most of this season.  I look for a value around 3 or less at the 2 metre focal length of my RC10, for best results below 2.5 which hardly ever happens.  But for this image it was jumping between 4.5 and 6 from one 1 second focus frame to the next.  Very difficult to find best focus. and the AO unit constantly making quite large corrections when guiding.  "Twinkle twinkle little star".  I yearn for your steady skies ?

Cheers,

Peter

I've been yearning for them as well, Peter! Our seeing has been unaccountably terrible for part of Jan and most of Feb. It's been the same all over Europe I think. However, last night was lovely and steady with excellent FWHM in the TEC.

Olly

[Guest]

Those bright knots of light in the spiral arms, star forming regions ??

Lovely image. 

[petevasey]

3 hours ago, AstroCiaran123 said:

Those bright knots of light in the spiral arms, star forming regions ??

Lovely image. 

Interesting question.  I've increased the colour saturation a bit, but as you can see, apart from perhaps looking a bit prettier, not much more to see.  But I'm sure you're correct.  Adam Block's superb image here clearly shows it to be the case.  Next clear night I'll try for some H-alpha data and see what that shows up.

Cheers,

Peter

[Guest]

Interesting to speculate that each of those "globs" must be light years in diameter and throwing out prodigious quantities of energy.