A Few Galaxy Pics from Way Back…

Cloudy Sunday night, but had a great time observing Friday and Saturday night. I put together a few more images I found in my archives which I captured a decade or so ago, this time a bunch of different galaxies. These captures are from 2009, 2010, and 2011 using either an Orion StarShoot DSI II or a Nikon D60 DSLR through my AstroTech AT66ED. There is one image of the Sombrero Galaxy which was taken in 2013, I think with an Atik Titan CCD probably through the AT66ED as well, but it may have been through my Celestron 6″ SCT.

There are two images in this group which are kind of interesting, the capture of M51 in May 2011 a few days before a supernova happened in the distant galaxy, and then in early June 2011 just after the supernova.

M31 (The Andromeda Galaxy), M32, and M110 taken on 12/11/2009 – A stack of 4 x 2 minute exposures from a Nikon D60 through the AT66ED

Compared to the other galaxies below, Andromeda is pretty close at only 2.5 million light years away.

M81 (Bode’s Galaxy) and M82 (The Cigar Galaxy) taken on 3/20/2010 – Stack of 18 x 2 minutes exposures from a Nikon D60 through the AT66ED.

The Leo Triplet – M65, M66, and NGC3628 taken on 3/20/2010 – Stack of 7 x 5 minute exposures from a Nikon D60 through the AT66ED.

If I remember right, I think these are the most distant objects I have imaged – they between 31 and 35 million light-years away.

NGC891 taken on 11/12/2010 – Stack of 14 x 2 minute exposures using the Orion StarShoot DSI II through the AT66ED.

This was one of my favorites from back then… still is. It is about 30 million light years away. Looking forward to getting some time on it with my EAA gear to see what I can see.

M101 – The Pinwheel Galaxy taken on 05/29/2011 – Stack of 30 x 1 minute exposures using the Orion StarShoot DSI II through the AT66ED.

M51 – Whirlpool Galaxy – Taken on 06/03/2011 – 30 x 2 minute exposures using the Orion StarShoot DSI II through the AT66ED.

In this picture of M51 there is a supernova which was discovered just the day before: https://www.universetoday.com/86261/supernova-discovered-in-m51-the-whirlpool-galaxy/. Information on the supernova can be found here SN 2011dh.

The neat thing is I took this image of M51 a few days before on 5/29/2011, just prior to the supernova.

Well I think it’s pretty neat. I have seen some recent images where the supernova is no longer visible.

M104 – The Sombrero Galaxy Stack of 30 x 1 minute exposures taken on 6/15/2013. I am not sure what camera was used here.

I did this stack on 1/5/2022 from the captures I had from back in 2013. I think these subs were captured with my Atik Titan CCD.