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Spiral galaxy M74 in Pisces

auteur: R.Jay GaBany/Novapix

référence: a-gax06-28006

Image Size 300 DPI: 22 * 14 cm

Viewed face on, as it appeared about 30 million years ago, M74 is considered to be one of the most photogenic spiral galaxies in the sky. The galaxy is rich in young bright blue stars and glowing red regions of dust and molecular hydrogen where new stars are being created. M74, however, is quite camera shy- it has a low surface brightness that makes it challenging for both visual observers and astrophotographers to see it's entire form. The Chandra X-Ray observatory, discovered M74 to be the home of a super massive black hole, tucked away in one of it's outer arms. This black hole is one of the largest ever discovered and has the mass of over 10,000 suns. Thirty six, fifteen minute photographs were combined to create this picture, with a total exposure time of almost nine hours. The images were taken with a 20 inch Ritchey-Chretien telescope and an eleven mega-pixel camera at f/8 from high in the south central mountains of New Mexico.

Keywords for this photo:

2007 - ACT260110 - ASTRONOMY - GALAXY - M74 - NGC 628 - PISCES - Sc - SPIRAL GALAXY - STAR -