Observation Log - April 30, 2000 - Tinton Falls, NJ

Links to the Image Index or Home Page.

M51, The Whirlpool Galaxy in Canes Venatici, magnitude 8.4, dimensions 11'.0 x 7'.8, along with the companion galaxy, NGC 5195, magnitude 9.3, dimensions 5'.4 x 4'.3. This is a re-imaging of this object. This is using the f/6.3 focal reducer, giving an effective focal ratio of f/4. This is a mosaic and a composite of 52 exposures for a total integration time of 26 minutes. It was processed with dark frame subtraction, flat field, then compositing, mosaic, unsharp mask, Digital Development (FFT, low-pass, medium), and finally a contrast stretch. This was my first image taken from Coyle in southern New Jersey. Compare this new image with the earlier effort (10.5 min.) on M51 at f/4. The new image shows at least three other galaxies in the photo. To the left of NGC 5195 is a small galaxy identified as IC4278, magnitude 16. Toward the top and left of center is a tiny edge-on spiral, IC 4277, magnitude 16.5. In the upper right corner is another edge-one that I have yet to identify.

M101, spiral galaxy in Ursa Major, magnitude 7.9 dimensions 28'.8 x 26'.9, distance is 17.5 million light years. Images were taken with the f6.3 focal reducer, giving approximately f4 overall. This was a composite mosaic made of 54 images (27 each top and bottom) for a total exposure of 27 minutes. Images were taken between 02:41 and 03:59 a.m. the morning of April 30th. Images were combined using MaxIm DL software, and processed by subtracting dark frames from each image, applying flats, then compositing each half separately, then contrast stretching, mosaic, Digital Development (FFT, low-pass, mild), and finally a contrast stretch. The previous imaging was done on February 12/13.