NGC 891 - Spiral Galaxy

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Reduced Image (900 x 622 Pixels)

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Description

NGC 891 is possibly one of the most photogenic galaxies that is easily visible from northern latitudes. The main reason this galaxy is so photogenic is that the Earth, by coincidence, lies almost exactly in the plane of its galactic equator. Thus, observers are presented with its dusty equatorial region that is easily visible in photographs. Together with NGC 6545 in the constellation Coma Berenices, these two objects are the finest examples of edge-on galaxies visible from Earth. NGC 891, lying in the direction of the constellation Andromeda, is approximately 10 million light years from Earth and achieves a brightness of magitude 10. NGC 891 was discovered by William Herschel in 1784 and is also known as Caldwell 23.

Image Details

Target:	NGC 891 (Caldwell 23)
Coordinates (Center - J2000):	RA 02h 22m 33s ; Dec +42d 20m 50s
Date:	22-23 September 2006
Constellation:	Andromeda
Imaging Location:	Chiefland, Florida
Camera:	SBIG ST-8XME & CFW-10 Color Filter Wheel
Filters:	Astrodon Series E Tru-Balance LRGB
Telescope:	Celestron 8" SCT f/10 (FL = 2100mm) Carbon Fiber Tube
Mount:	Takahashi EM-200 Temma II GEM (12 VDC)
Image Scale:	0.88 arcseconds per pixel
CCD Temperature:	-10 C
Luminance Exposures:	18 @ 300 sec. each (90 minutes total)
Red Exposures:	9 @ 300 sec. each (45 minutes total)
Green Exposures:	9 @ 300 sec. each (45 minutes total)
Blue Exposures:	9 @ 300 sec. each (45 minutes total)
Mount Control Software:	The Sky 6.0.0.51
Camera Control Software:	CCDSoft 5.00.175
Focus Control Software:	FocusMax 3.3.15
Executive Control Software:	CCD Commander 1.3.31
Collimation and Image Evaluation Software:	CCDInspector
Calibration and Stacking Software:	CCDStack
Color Combining and Final Processing Software:	Photoshop CS

Additional Details

Description of NGC 891 (By Rob Gendler):

http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/NGC891text.html