M101 - The Pinwheel Galaxy

20:01 8/4/2007 UTC

It was a very nice spring night and Moon had not yet been risen to lit up the sky. I decided to go for M101 because conditions were favourable and M101 was high up the sky. The focal lenght of my system is so short, the galaxy appears relatively tiny in my image. However, as a bonus there are several other galaxies in the image. M101 is a fine example of face on spiral galaxy. It is also a brightest member of M101 Group of galaxies. At least the galaxies NGC5474 (in lower right corner) and NGC5477 (just below M101) in this image are part of the group.

NGC/IC Object List:
NGC5457 galaxy RA:14h03m12.4 Dec:+54°20m'58" BMag: 8.2, M 101 Pinwheel Galaxy
NGC5422 galaxy RA:14h00m41.8 Dec:+55°09m'53" BMag:12.9, UGC 8935
NGC5474 galaxy RA:14h05m01.4 Dec:+53°39m'46" BMag:11.3, UGC 9013
NGC5477 galaxy RA:14h05m33.0 Dec:+54°27m'39" BMag:14.3, UGC 9018
NGC5485 galaxy RA:14h07m11.4 Dec:+55°00m'05" BMag:12.3, UGC 9033
NGC5486 galaxy RA:14h07m24.9 Dec:+55°06m'11" BMag:13.9, UGC 9036
NGC5473 galaxy RA:14h04m43.5 Dec:+54°53m'36" BMag:12.4, UGC 9011

Camera: Modified Canon EOS 350D | Telescope: Skywatcher ED80 Pro 80mm f7.5 refractor, William Optics 0.8x focal reducer | Mount: Orion Skyview Pro, Boxdoerfer PowerFlex MTS-3SLP drive controller | Filters: Baader IR/UV block | Guiding: Orion ShortTube 80mm f5 refractor, QCGuider, Teleskop-Service 1.5x Barlow, Phillips ToUCam Pro II webcam | Exposure: 30x120s (1h) ISO800 f6, 10 darks, 15 flats, bias | Software: IRIS, GIMP | Location: 60°31'N 26°52'E (Koivula/Kotka,FI) | Image Field: 2.066 x 1.55 degrees | Image Center: Ra 14h03m29s Dec +54°18'55" | Target altitude in the beginning of the exposure 64°