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M 61, Spiral Galaxy in Virgo
M61 is a rather faint galaxy and this poorly processed image illustrates some of the difficulties involved in imaging faint structures when light gradients are present. Nevertheless, the unusually rectangular arrangement of the spiral arms of the galaxy are quite apparent as are the reddish areas of most active star-birth.
| Date | 2005-05-12 |
| Scope | RCOS 12.5 inch Ritchey-Chretien telescope on an A-P 1200 GTO mount. Camera: SBIG ST-10XME with CFW8a filter wheel. Controlled with MaxIm 4.10. |
| Exposures | 220 minutes (11 x 5 min) each L, R, G, and B exposures with Astrodon filters. |
| Processing | Stacked and color combined in MaxIm, stretched in Photoshop CS2. |