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M86 Galaxy Group in Virgo / Coma Berenices

 

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE VIEW (3200 x 2400)

Scope: FSQ-106N at  f/5,  Laguna Mountains, CA,  25 February 2012, Camera: ST8300M

Exposure: 12 x 8 minutes  UV/IR Block ,  and 8 x 3 minutes (2x2) RGB Exposures 

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 rough color balanced in Astroart.   Channels were co-registered in Astroart.   Central gradient was removed in Astroart. The UV/IR Block exposures  were used for the main luminance construction.  Level adjustments and curves were used to bring out object features.   LRGB combine was done in Photoshop. Color saturation performed by Luminance Layering and LAB Color Space Curves. The background was gain reduced on the Luminance channel as well as a light noise reduction applied.  Final touches and color balance in Photoshop. Final Image size is approximately 3252x2532 (cropped and resized to 3200x 2400).

 North is up in this image. The largest elliptical galaxy in this field is M86 and the bright elliptical galaxy to the right is M84.  M87 is the elliptical galaxy in the lower left corner. This "chain" of galaxies (less M87leading to the upper left is sometimes called Markarian's Chain. In this field in addition to the large ellipticals are (from upper left to lower right) NGC4477, NGC 4473, NGC4458, NGC4461, NGC4435, NGC4438, NGC4402, NGC4425, NGC4413, NGC4387, NGC4388 . Fainter galaxies in this image are NGC 4440, NGC 4436, NGC 4431 (group of three at the bottom edge), and IC3386, IC3355, IC3388, IC3363,IC3349, and the list goes on.... There are really quite a few galaxies just noticeable in the background and can be best seen in the larger image.  This image replaces and earlier image that can be seen in the Archives here.  Horizontal FOV is about 120'.

Image center is located approximately - Equatorial 2000: 12h 27m 58s Dec: +12°57'41"

 

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

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