M63 – Sunflower Galaxy
The Sunflower Galaxy (M63) is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici with approximately 400 billion stars. The shape or morphology of this galaxy has a spiral form with no central bar feature and moderate to loosely wound arms.
Gurresta Observatory. February 2025. ES102/714, Optolong L-Pro, ASI533MC Pro, NINA. 32 hours of integration.
NGC6946 – Fireworks Galaxy
NGC 6946, sometimes referred to as the Fireworks Galaxy, is a face-on intermediate spiral galaxy with a small bright nucleus, whose location in the sky straddles the boundary between the northern constellations of Cepheus and Cygnus. Its distance from Earth is about 25.2 million light-years.
Gurresta Observatory. January 2025. ES102/714, Optolong L-Pro. ASI533MC Pro. 40 hours of integration.
M81 (and M82) – Bode’s Galaxy (Cigar Galaxy)
Messier 81 (also known as NGC 3031 or Bode’s Galaxy) is a grand design spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. It is of large size, and have active galactic nucleus which harbors a supermassive black hole. Gravitational interactions of M81 with M82 and NGC 3077 have stripped hydrogen gas away from all three galaxies, forming gaseous filamentary structures in the group. Moreover, these interactions have allowed interstellar gas to fall into the centers of M82 and NGC 3077, leading to vigorous star formation or starburst activity there.
Gurresta Observatory. December 2024. RASA8, ASI294MC Pro. Idas NBZ. 30 hours of integration.
NGC891 – Silver Sliver Galaxy
NGC 891 (also known as Caldwell 23, the Silver Sliver Galaxy, and the Outer Limits Galaxy) is an edge-on unbarred spiral galaxy about 30 million light-years away in the constellation Andromeda.
Gurresta Observatory. December 2024. ES 102/714. ASI533MC Pro. Optolong L-Pro. 31 hours of integration.
NGC4395
NGC4395 – a Spiral Galaxy in Canes Venatici. It is located approximately 14 million light-years from Earth.
Gurresta Observatory. March-April 2024. ES 102/714. Optolong L-Pro. ASI533MC Pro. 26 hours of integration.
M106 – Spiral Galaxy in Cans Venatici
Spiral Galaxy some 26 million light-years from Earth. In the picture are also NGC4248 at 36 Mly, NGC4226 at 354 Mly and NGC4232 at 356 Mly from Earth.
Gurresta Observatory. February-March 2024. Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro, ES 104/714, ASI533MC Pro, Optolong L-Pro. 36,5 hours of integration.
NGC3718 & NGC3729 – Spiral Galaxies
Spiral Galaxies appearing in the constellation Ursa Major. NGC 3718 is thought to get its unusual shape from gravitational interaction with the nearby galaxy NGC 3729. They are located 58 and 69 million light-years from Earth. Gurresta Observatory. February 2024. 36,5 hours of integration.
M65 & M66 & NGC3628 – Leo Triplet
Leo Triplet, three spiral galaxies situated in the constellation Leo. One of them is called Hamburger Galaxy – perhaps you can guess that one…
They are 190.000 light-years apart and around 35 million light-years from Earth. They are all interacting gravitationally with each other.
Gurresta Observatory, April 2023. ES 102/714, Optolong L-Pro, ASI533MC Pro. 29 hours of integration over 7 nights.
NGC4631 & NGC4654 – Whale Galaxy & Crowbar Galaxy
Two galaxies found in the constellation of Canes Venatici. They are around 25-30 million light-years from Earth.
Gurresta Observatory April 2023. SW EQ6-R Pro, ES 102/714, 0.8 Reducer, Optolong L-Pro, ASI533MC Pro, 25,5 hours of integration.
M101 – Pinwheel Galaxy
The Pinwheel Galaxy (also known as Messier 101) is a face-on spiral galaxy 21 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. There are around one trillion stars in this galaxy.
Gurresta Observatory, Bortle 4. EQ6-R Pro, Explore Scientific APO ED 102/714 CF, ASI533MC Pro, Optolong L-Pro. 21 hours of integration. April 2022.
NGC4565 – Needle Galaxy
Gurresta Observatory, 7-10 February 2022. 23h 50min integration (286x300sec). Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro, Explore Scientific APO ED 102/714 CF, R/F x0,8m, Optolong L-Pro, ASI533MC Pro, ASIAir Pro.
IC342 – Hidden Galaxy
Distance to Earth: 10 million light-years. Jan 2021/Jan 2022 –
Equipment: Skywatcher EQ-6R Pro, Explore Scientific APO ED 102/714 CF, ASI533MC Pro, Optolong L-Pro – Details: 216 x 300 s/29 x 600s, Unity gain, -15C (flats, darks, flat darks).
M51 – Whirlpool Galaxy
Distance to Earth: 28 million light-years. 2020-12-23 –
Equipment: Skywatcher EQ-6R Pro, Celestron RASA8, ASI533MC Pro, Astronomik L2 – Details: 61 x 300 s, Unity gain, -15C (flats, darks, flat darks).
M81 and M82 – Bode’s Galaxy and Cigar Galaxy
Distance to Earth: 12 million light-years. 2020-12-23 –
Equipment: Skywatcher EQ-6R Pro, Celestron RASA8, ASI533MC Pro, Astronomik L2 – Details: 120 x 180 s, Unity gain, -15C (flats, darks, flat darks).
M33 – Triangulum Galaxy
Distance to Earth: 2.7 million light-years. 2020-10-13 –
Equipment: Skywatcher EQ-6R Pro, Celestron RASA8, ASI533MC Pro, L-Pro – Details: 72 x 300 s, Unity gain, -15C (flats, darks, flat darks).
M31 – Andromeda Galaxy
Distance to Earth: 2.5 million light-years. 2020-09-01 –
Equipment: Skywatcher EQ-6R Pro, Celestron RASA8, ASI294MC Pro, L-Pro – Details: 87 x 120 s, Unity gain, -15C (flats, darks, flat darks).
