Interacting peculiar galaxies: NGC3227 & 3226

[gorann]

NGC 3227 is an intermediate spiral galaxy that is interacting with the dwarf elliptical galaxy NGC 3226. The two galaxies are one of several examples of a spiral with a dwarf elliptical companion that are listed in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies, these as Arp 94.

The data was collected over two recent nights and is a mix of 2 and 3 min exposures at ISO 3200 and 6400 as I am still testing out using the full spectrum modded Sony A7s on the 14" SCT (Meade LX200R). Air temperature was a few centigrees below zero which probably helped keeping noise down. This full frame 12 MP APS camera have large 8.32 µm pixels, so it is a relatively good match (still a bit oversampling) for the 3.55 m focal length of the SCT. This 40 kg scope is sitting on my EQ8 which handles it quite well. OAG with Lodestar X2 and guiding around 0.4 "/pixel which is almost sufficient (my pixel scale is 0.49"/pixel so it would be nice with guiding below 0.3"/pixel and the EQ8 can probably do it but the sky is rarely that steady). SQM was good, around 21.3, which helps when hunting relatively distant galaxies.

Totally 8.9 hours of data.

Cheers

Göran

 

 

 

Edited March 22, 2020 by gorann

[Laurin Dave]

Very nice Goran.. and impressive detail..   not far from M106 if I remember correctly ..  

Dave

[alan potts]

A very nice image Goran, and not one I have seen before, considering the speed you used it is clean of noise as I see it, I never pushed my old 40D about 1600, but it is an antique

Alan

[gorann]

32 minutes ago, Laurin Dave said:

Very nice Goran.. and impressive detail..   not far from M106 if I remember correctly ..  

Dave

Thanks Dave!

I think you are slightly wrong about their location - these ones are in Leo. You may be thinking about some other peculiar galaxies.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Lovely image of an unusual target

[gorann]

26 minutes ago, alan potts said:

A very nice image Goran, and not one I have seen before, considering the speed you used it is clean of noise as I see it, I never pushed my old 40D about 1600, but it is an antique

Alan

Thanks Alan!

Sony A7s is quite a different camera. I have been drewling about one since it came about five years ago, but it was too expensive. Now when Sony has produced a Mk II and MK III version, the original (with still the same chip) has become affordable on ebay (where I got mine). The chip is a low light chip with very big pixels, so only 12 Mpixel even if it is a full frame APS. It is aimed a evening and night photography and the electronics is in a league of its own. ISO6400 is nothing for it, max setting is over ISO 400 000 if I remeber it correct, but at that setting it is very noisy.

[gorann]

2 minutes ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

Lovely image of an unusual target

Thanks a lot Michael, much appreciated!

Yes, I now try to go for less common objects - and I entertain myself finding them on various net resources during cloudy nights.

[wimvb]

That turned out very well, with the faint stuff just where it should be: visible but not "in your face". 

[gorann]

2 hours ago, wimvb said:

That turned out very well, with the faint stuff just where it should be: visible but not "in your face". 

Thanks Wim, I am happy you like my restrained processing.

[JeremyS]

Nice image @gorann

[HunterHarling]

Excellent image! I agree that the processing is great.

[gorann]

19 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Nice image @gorann

Thanks a lot Jeremy!

[gorann]

10 hours ago, HunterHarling said:

Excellent image! I agree that the processing is great.

Thanks, much appreciated!