M74 Galaxy





IMAGE INFORMATION OBJECT INFORMATION
Telescope 12.5" AGO Newt on AP1200GTO Designation M74
Focal Length F/3.8 1200mm Position RA: 01 : 36.7 Dec:+15 : 47
Guiding SX OAG & Lodestar Type Spiral Galaxy
Control MaximDL Magnitude 10
CCD Camera FLI ML8300 Size 10'
Image Scale .94 arcsec Distance 30 million Light Years
Filters AstroDon LRGB Constellation Pisces
Exposures 10 x 5min 1x1, 8 x 5min ea RGB    
Calibration Flats, Darks    
Software MaximDL, Photoshop CS5    
Date The Chiefland Star Party Oct 2011    
Messier 74 (also known as NGC 628) is a face-on spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces. The galaxy contains two clearly-defined spiral arms and is therefore used as an archetypal example of a Grand Design Spiral Galaxy.[4] The galaxy's low surface brightness makes it the most difficult Messier object for amateur astronomers to observe.[5][6] However, the relatively large angular size of the galaxy and the galaxy's face-on orientation make it an ideal object for professional astronomers who want to study spiral arm structure and spiral density waves.