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Scope: C8 f/8;
Location: Dos Picos Park, Ramona, CA; 13 April, 2007; Camera: Artemis285
Exposure: 8 x 360 sec Luminance exposures with IR Block Filter (bin 1x1);
6 x 120 sec RGB (bin 2x2)
Processing: Images were captured in Artemis Capture (as FITs). Aligned/stacked
in Registax 4 and saved as FITS. Luminance and Color channels were numerically
scaled and color balanced in Astroart. Channels were co-registered
in Astroart. Central Gradient removal was performed on the L,R,G,B stacked
masters. The IR Block exposure was used as the luminance channel. Curves and
Levels applied in Photoshop to optimize object features. Final LRGB
combine was done in Photoshop using Luminance Layering (or LLRGB). Since
RGB data was gather under variable high cloud conditions, the color data was not
consistent. G2V color calibration was not useful and not performed. Color was
balanced by eye. Selective sharpening with layer mask was applied to
galaxy features. Final touches were done in Photoshop. Final
Image size is approximately 1392x1040.
North is to the right in this image. M51 and smaller NGC 5195 are
undergoing gravitational interaction. This dance of galaxies is located in
the constellation of Canes Venatici. Also visible in this field are the
very small and faint galaxies IC4277 and IC4278 (smudges in the lower and lower
left). The distance of M51 to Earth is approximately 37 million light
years although some more recent estimates (STScI Press Release) put the distance
at 31 million light years. This image replaces and earlier image that can be
seen in the Archives here.
Horizontal FOV is about 20'
Image Center
approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 13h 29m 54s Dec: +47°13'15"
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