M81(Bodes) and M82(Cigar) Galaxies
The Bodes (the large one) and Cigar galaxies are in a gravitational battle with a 100 million year cycles of close encounters. During these near misses, tidal forces cause rapid star formation regions in the galaxies. One of these regions is in the center of M82, generating so much energy that massive amounts of dust and gases are being blown out of the galaxy. This can be seen by the red tendrils streaking from the center. Notable features of M82 is the straight dust lane across the spiral, one of the most accurately measured galaxies at 11.8 million light years from earth, and is about the same size as the Milky Way.
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M81 and M82


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Equipment
  • Celestron 11 on a CGEM mount, HyperStar 3 (F2), modified Canon 350D (Rebel XT), Orion StarShoot AutoGuider on an Orion Short Tube 80, UHC Filter
Image
  • 29X, 2 Minute exposures @ ISO 400, captured on 3/30/2012 with a half moon
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M81 Bodes Galaxy High Res




Equipment
  • Celestron 11 on a CGEM DX mount, Starizona F7.5 coma corrector, Atik 460 monochrome camera, Orion off axis guider and Lodestar X2 autoguider, Orion RGB filters.
Image
  • 7 Hours total exposure. LRGB: Lum:43 X 2Min at F7.5, 1.4 hrs.
    Red: 43 X 2 Min, Green: 57x 2Min, Blue: 68 x 2Min at F2 Hyperstar. 5.6 hrs total exposure.
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