M106 in CANES VENATICI
SPIRAL GALAXY

Some galaxies are quite small when pictured.  This is not one of them.  M106 in Canes Venatici is one of the larger galaxies in the sky from our perspective. But it doesn't garner much notice because it takes a powerful scope or long exposure photographs to show the entire, faint outer halo. Partnered with M106 in this image is NGC 4248 at right and NGC 4258 at lower-left.  Several other faint galaxies are shown scattered throughout the field.  

M106 is an underrated Messier galaxy among visual observers but one of the most spectacular to photograph!  

Date: February 13, 2005
Location: The Ballauer Observatory near Azle, Texas
Transparency: 4.5 mag zenithal
Seeing: 8/10, 1.4" FWHM
Temperature: 45 degrees F, camera cooled to -30 degrees C
Scope/Mount: 12.5" RCOS RC with Field Flattener and Paramount ME mount
Camera: SBIG STL-6303E, self-guided
Filters: Standard SBIG, clear filter used for luminance 
Exposure Info: LLRGB image, 160:30:30:40 minutes - 10 minute subexposures L unbinned and 5 minute subexposures RGB binned 2x2..
Processing: Dark frame calibration, flat fields, registration, and Sigma Combine in MaxIm DL 4.  Digital Development and RGB combine in MaxIm DL 4.  Final LRGB and LLRGB combining, deblooming, gradient removal, color balance, curves, levels, selective sharpening/blurring/despeckle in Photoshop CS.

Extra Notes: This is a first-light, first-night image with the new 12.5" RCOS Ritchey-Chrétien scope and Paramount ME.  The scope was slightly out of calibration and demonstrated some astigmatism despite the use of the field flattener.  Of course, this will soon be corrected.

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