The "Hidden Galaxy" IC342, a bright star, and a bit of dust

[gorann]

This was taken two nights ago with two RASA 8 & ASI2600MC aiming at the same frame - it helps with two fast scopes when nights are getting short up here at 60°N. Then last night I fired up the Meade 14" to get a bit more detail in the galaxy. So 400 and 3550 mm focal lengths data mixed, with the long FL data drastically downsampled of course.

The bright yellow star to the right is beta-Camelopardalis, 870 ly away from us, so just in the neighborhood compared to IC342. This is what Wiki writes about the galaxy: IC 342 (also known as Caldwell 5) is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis, located relatively close to the Milky Way. Despite its size and actual brightness, its location in dusty areas near the galactic equator makes it difficult to observe, leading to the nickname "The Hidden Galaxy", though it can readily be detected even with binoculars. If the galaxy were not obscured, it would be visible by naked eye. The dust makes it difficult to determine its precise distance; modern estimates range from about 7 Mly to about 11 Mly.

There seems to be a fair bit of rather unstructured Integrated Flux Nebulosity (IFN) in the image although the nebulosity close to beta-Camelopardalis looks more like reflection nebulosity.

So imaged 18-19 April with two RASA 8 and ASI2600MC, one sitting on my iOptron CEM70 and one on my Mesu200, together collecting 77 x 5 min at gain 100. The supplementary data on IC342 was taken with my Meade 14" LX200R (ACF) and ASI071MC on the EQ8, 33 x 5 min. So totally 9.2 hours.

[Allinthehead]

Nice Goran, that bright star deserves a close up too, looks like it's surrounded by nebulosity.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Wonderful image again Goran. Should I get a windfall, I might certainly invest in a RASA 8

[gorann]

4 hours ago, Allinthehead said:

Nice Goran, that bright star deserves a close up too, looks like it's surrounded by nebulosity.

Thanks Richard! Yes, my thought too when I saw the image materialize - I only had a rather fussy Aladin Sky Atlas image (DSS red) to guide me so it is a bit of "shoot and hope for the best" with these images. If I shall do it, it will be for next year. Tonight is last night until August. Coming weather, moon and loss of astro darkness make tonight the finale.

[gorann]

4 hours ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

Wonderful image again Goran. Should I get a windfall, I might certainly invest in a RASA 8

Thanks Michael! My best investment in this hobby so far.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

14 hours ago, gorann said:

Thanks Michael! My best investment in this hobby so far.

I can tell. I would rig it up with my ASI183MM-Pro (somewhat restricted FOV compared to yours). Before that I will install a Starizona Night Owl 0.4x reducer in my C8, which brings it down to F/4 and 16mm image circle (perfect for the 183MM). Not quite a RASA, but getting there