M100 in Coma Berenices

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE VIEW (1676x1266)

Scope: C8  f/6.3, Location: Blair Valley, Anza Borrego Desert, CA,   26 April 2011  Camera: ST8300M

Exposure:  20 x 5 min UV/IR Block Luminance (2x2 bin),  8 x 4 min RGB exposures (3x3 bin).

Processing: Images were captured with CCDSoft. Aligned/stacked and dark subtracted in Astroart ; Sigma Combine method was used for stacking subs.  All channels were scaled and equalized in Astroart.  Channels were co-registered in Astroart. G2V  factors  were applied to color channels in Astroart. Central Gradient removal was done in Astroart.  Level adjustments and curves were made on the Luminance data to bring out object features. Light noise reduction was applied to the background.  LRGB combine was done in Photoshop.    Sharpening was done on the luminance channel.  Layered Contrast Stretching (J. Gabany) was applied to the LRGB image. Final touches and color balance in Photoshop. Final Image size is approximately 1676x1266.

North is to the left in this image. M100 is an bright spiral galaxy located in the constellation of Coma Berenices. M100 is a member of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies and is one of its brightest members.  There are numerous more distant galaxies in this field - of the more prominent are NGC 4312 to the upper right on M100.  NGC 4322 and NGC 4328 are to the lower left and below M100. The distance of M100 to Earth is approximately 60  million light years. This image replaces and earlier image that can be seen in the Archives here.  Horizontal FOV is nd about 44'

Image Center approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 12h 22m 40s Dec: +15°40'11"

All images and content remain the property of Jim Thommes - copyright 2003 - 2012

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