(Click on image for full size version)
| Description: | Sometimes called the "Exploding Galaxy", M82 is
thought to have been seriously distorted by the passing of M81, nearby.
This deep (7.2 hour) exposure shows the S-shape that resulted from that
encounter. The emissions above and below the galactic plane are
clearly visible. NE is up. |
| Exposure Data: | 3/11,12/2003. LRGB: 24x10m, 8x7m, 8x7m,
8x10m. RGB binned 2x2. -20°C, .82 arc-sec./pixel. |
| Processing: | Acquired in Maxim via Sequencer, reduced,
aligned and combined in Mira, L: 2xCCDSharp, RGB: combine with extinction correction in Maxim, LLRGB
combine, curves, levels, USM and other adjustments in
Photoshop. |
| Optical System: | 10RC truss by RCOS @ F/9, ST-8E NABG/CFW-8A
CCD camera, Paramount ME. Luminance AO-7 guided, RGB auto-guided. |
| Comments: | Average star sizes for the combined luminance
was 3.0 arc-sec.
Here is a link to last year's image as a slightly
larger image scale. |