(Click on image for full size version)
| Description: | Even though located in Coma Berenices, M100 on
the right is
considered as part of the Virgo cluster of galaxies and is one of the
brightest members. This galaxy exhibits the grand design spiral
structure. Many other galaxies are visible in the background.
The larger galaxy to the left is NGC4312 (spiral). Going clockwise
around M100 from the top are NGC4328
(elliptical) and NGC4323 (spiral). Look at the full size image to see
many, many more galaxies. |
| Exposure Data: | 3/4/2006. CRGB: 18x10m, 6x10m,
6x10m, 6x10m. RGB 2x2. -25°C, 0.55 arc-sec./pixel. |
Processing: |
Acquired via CCDAutoPilot 3 and CCDSoft, reduced, aligned
and combined in CCDStack, 50 RL iterations in AIP4WIN, LLRGB combine, curves, levels and other processing in Photoshop. |
| Optical System: | 14.5” Ritchey-Chretien @ F/9 w/FFC, IMG6303E/CFW-7 CCD
camera, AstroDon filters, Paramount
ME, dithered 3 pixels, off-axis guided. |
| Comments: | Average FWHM of combined luminance is 2.1 arc-sec and deconvolved
to 1.7 arc-sec. |