M82

Ursa Major - Irregular Galaxy - Magnitude 8.4

Peculiar Galaxy - M82 in Ursa Major

Shown in its famous pairing with spiral galaxy M81, M82 is a peculiar galaxy shown on edge. Because it is shown on edge it is unclear exactly what type of galaxy this is. A unique feature of this galaxy is the red ejecta spraying out of the core which I managed to capture here in this image. M82 is sometimes known as the "Cigar Galaxy" because of its characteristic shape.

Location: The Ballauer Observatory near Azle, Texas
Date: February 16, 2004 (RGB) and April 7, 2004 (Luminance)
Temperature: 60 degrees F
Seeing: 7/10 (1.4 FWHM)
Transparency: 4/10 (dew)
Scope/mount: RGB data - Takahashi FSQ-106 @ f/5 and Celestron CGE mount. Luminance data - Takahashi FSQ-106 @ f/8 and Tak NJP Temma 2 mount
Camera: SBIG ST-10XME, self-guided
Exposure Info: LRGB image - 160:80:80:80 minutes (10 min. subexposures RGB, 20 min. subexposures Luminance)
Processing Info: Dark frame calibration (no flats), de-blooming (New Astro Plug-in), registration, and Sigma combine of all channels in MaxIm 3.0. Background compensation, Digital-Development and Lucy-Richardson Deconvolution (10 iterations) in Images Plus. Final data combine, curves, levels, and color balance in Photoshop CS.

Extra information: Green haloes caused by RGB data being shot at smaller focal length than Luminance. Deblooming still needs some work as well.