ASTRO: M61

When I took this one I was shocked when the first frame came down with a
background count of near 2000 compared to 250 I normally have in 5
minute subs. Then I looked out the window and there was a big bright
moon not far from M61. How I forgot it was there I don't know. Too
late, I kept shooting anyway. I have a heck of a time processing moon
lit shots and this was bad. I took it two months ago and have been
fighting the processing every since. The moon seems to have turned its
bar and other parts green. If I tone down the green then the other
colors go bad. After two months of playing with it, rather than
retaking it in a dark sky like any sane person would, I'll go with this.

Then we have the mystery of what's that galaxy to the upper left. Nice
little spiral with a bright blue star forming region in one arm. No two
sources give me the same answer. Digging out Uranometria it shows two
galaxies there almost overlapping. One is NGC 4303A (M61 is NGC 4303)
and the other NGC 4301. Punch NGC 4303A in SIMBAD and it doesn't know
what you are talking about. No such NGC exists and NGC 4301 Simbad says
is also known as UGC 7411 a galaxy out of frame to the north (top).
Simbad says it is UGC 7439, which NED agrees with. The Sky shows the
same as Uranometria, displaying NGC 4303A as a fuzz patch just east of a
photo of the galaxy in my photo labeled NGC 4301. Uranometria doesn't
show anything in the position of UGC 7411.

Things are clearer about the one to the upper right. Everyone agrees
that is NGC 4292. Some (NED and Uranometria) say the little guy above
it is NGC 4292A. Simbad shows nothing and doesn't know about it Both
are plotted in Uranometria even though, the DSS plates show NGC 4292A as
smaller and fainter than UGC 7411 to the north out of frame which
Uranometria doesn't plot. The Sky shows TWO galaxies there, NGC 4292A
and PGC 213977 giving each a small fuzz spot. By this time I'm as green
as M61 from my head spinning over this one. I didn't try to identify
any others after this experience.

14" LX200R @ F/10, L=6x5', RGB 3x5' all binned 2x2, STL-11000XM,
Paramount ME

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

Great picture Rick. Even the small guy to the upper left (whatever it's name
may be) has good detail. Guide 8 thinks that it is called NGC 4301, giving
NGC 4303A as a further name.

Stefan

"Rick Johnson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
When I took this one I was shocked when the first frame came down with a
background count of near 2000 compared to 250 I normally have in 5
minute subs. Then I looked out the window and there was a big bright
moon not far from M61. How I forgot it was there I don't know. Too
late, I kept shooting anyway. I have a heck of a time processing moon
lit shots and this was bad. I took it two months ago and have been
fighting the processing every since. The moon seems to have turned its
bar and other parts green. If I tone down the green then the other
colors go bad. After two months of playing with it, rather than
retaking it in a dark sky like any sane person would, I'll go with this.

Then we have the mystery of what's that galaxy to the upper left. Nice
little spiral with a bright blue star forming region in one arm. No two
sources give me the same answer. Digging out Uranometria it shows two
galaxies there almost overlapping. One is NGC 4303A (M61 is NGC 4303)
and the other NGC 4301. Punch NGC 4303A in SIMBAD and it doesn't know
what you are talking about. No such NGC exists and NGC 4301 Simbad says
is also known as UGC 7411 a galaxy out of frame to the north (top).
Simbad says it is UGC 7439, which NED agrees with. The Sky shows the
same as Uranometria, displaying NGC 4303A as a fuzz patch just east of a
photo of the galaxy in my photo labeled NGC 4301. Uranometria doesn't
show anything in the position of UGC 7411.

Things are clearer about the one to the upper right. Everyone agrees
that is NGC 4292. Some (NED and Uranometria) say the little guy above
it is NGC 4292A. Simbad shows nothing and doesn't know about it Both
are plotted in Uranometria even though, the DSS plates show NGC 4292A as
smaller and fainter than UGC 7411 to the north out of frame which
Uranometria doesn't plot. The Sky shows TWO galaxies there, NGC 4292A
and PGC 213977 giving each a small fuzz spot. By this time I'm as green
as M61 from my head spinning over this one. I didn't try to identify
any others after this experience.

14" LX200R @ F/10, L=6x5', RGB 3x5' all binned 2x2, STL-11000XM,
Paramount ME

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

That's what NED does as well as giving it a bunch of other designations.
So is NGC 4301 this guy or the lenticular out of frame to the north?
It would seem the out of frame one is below normal NGC brightness and
likely couldn't have been seen visually in the scopes of the day.
Probably the position was incorrectly recorded as near to the one out of
frame.

Rick

Stefan Lilge wrote:

Great picture Rick. Even the small guy to the upper left (whatever it's
name may be) has good detail. Guide 8 thinks that it is called NGC 4301,
giving NGC 4303A as a further name.

Stefan

"Rick Johnson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...

When I took this one I was shocked when the first frame came down with a
background count of near 2000 compared to 250 I normally have in 5
minute subs. Then I looked out the window and there was a big bright
moon not far from M61. How I forgot it was there I don't know. Too
late, I kept shooting anyway. I have a heck of a time processing moon
lit shots and this was bad. I took it two months ago and have been
fighting the processing every since. The moon seems to have turned its
bar and other parts green. If I tone down the green then the other
colors go bad. After two months of playing with it, rather than
retaking it in a dark sky like any sane person would, I'll go with this.

Then we have the mystery of what's that galaxy to the upper left. Nice
little spiral with a bright blue star forming region in one arm. No two
sources give me the same answer. Digging out Uranometria it shows two
galaxies there almost overlapping. One is NGC 4303A (M61 is NGC 4303)
and the other NGC 4301. Punch NGC 4303A in SIMBAD and it doesn't know
what you are talking about. No such NGC exists and NGC 4301 Simbad says
is also known as UGC 7411 a galaxy out of frame to the north (top).
Simbad says it is UGC 7439, which NED agrees with. The Sky shows the
same as Uranometria, displaying NGC 4303A as a fuzz patch just east of a
photo of the galaxy in my photo labeled NGC 4301. Uranometria doesn't
show anything in the position of UGC 7411.

Things are clearer about the one to the upper right. Everyone agrees
that is NGC 4292. Some (NED and Uranometria) say the little guy above
it is NGC 4292A. Simbad shows nothing and doesn't know about it Both
are plotted in Uranometria even though, the DSS plates show NGC 4292A as
smaller and fainter than UGC 7411 to the north out of frame which
Uranometria doesn't plot. The Sky shows TWO galaxies there, NGC 4292A
and PGC 213977 giving each a small fuzz spot. By this time I'm as green
as M61 from my head spinning over this one. I didn't try to identify
any others after this experience.

14" LX200R @ F/10, L=6x5', RGB 3x5' all binned 2x2, STL-11000XM,
Paramount ME

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

isn't that the lost galaxy? that is found now...

"Rick Johnson" wrote in message
...
When I took this one I was shocked when the first frame came down with a
background count of near 2000 compared to 250 I normally have in 5
minute subs. Then I looked out the window and there was a big bright
moon not far from M61. How I forgot it was there I don't know. Too
late, I kept shooting anyway. I have a heck of a time processing moon
lit shots and this was bad. I took it two months ago and have been
fighting the processing every since. The moon seems to have turned its
bar and other parts green. If I tone down the green then the other
colors go bad. After two months of playing with it, rather than
retaking it in a dark sky like any sane person would, I'll go with this.

Then we have the mystery of what's that galaxy to the upper left. Nice
little spiral with a bright blue star forming region in one arm. No two
sources give me the same answer. Digging out Uranometria it shows two
galaxies there almost overlapping. One is NGC 4303A (M61 is NGC 4303)
and the other NGC 4301. Punch NGC 4303A in SIMBAD and it doesn't know
what you are talking about. No such NGC exists and NGC 4301 Simbad says
is also known as UGC 7411 a galaxy out of frame to the north (top).
Simbad says it is UGC 7439, which NED agrees with. The Sky shows the
same as Uranometria, displaying NGC 4303A as a fuzz patch just east of a
photo of the galaxy in my photo labeled NGC 4301. Uranometria doesn't
show anything in the position of UGC 7411.

Things are clearer about the one to the upper right. Everyone agrees
that is NGC 4292. Some (NED and Uranometria) say the little guy above
it is NGC 4292A. Simbad shows nothing and doesn't know about it Both
are plotted in Uranometria even though, the DSS plates show NGC 4292A as
smaller and fainter than UGC 7411 to the north out of frame which
Uranometria doesn't plot. The Sky shows TWO galaxies there, NGC 4292A
and PGC 213977 giving each a small fuzz spot. By this time I'm as green
as M61 from my head spinning over this one. I didn't try to identify
any others after this experience.

14" LX200R @ F/10, L=6x5', RGB 3x5' all binned 2x2, STL-11000XM,
Paramount ME

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".