NGC 253, discovered by Caroline Herschel on September 23, 1783, is also named "The Silver Coin Galaxy" or "The Sculptor Galaxy". It lays 10 million light years away and is considered the brightest object within the Sculptor group of galaxies. This group is probably the closest to our own local group of galaxies (which includes M31, M103 and others); another close group is the M81 group of galaxies, located in the constellation Ursa Major (an image of M81 and M82 together is posted elsewhere on this site). The Sculptor group is also referred to as "The South Polar Group of Galaxies", as it is grouped around our own Milky Way's south pole.

The object is bright and I found it to be surprisingly large the first time it filled my eyepiece. The image here very much replicates what you'd see through a 9 mm eyepiece through a 10" fast SN scope - except for the colors which come through very nicely - the burning core, colorful trails of dust, and even the side facing two spiral arms which can be distinguished from the rest of the "coin".

Writing this one day after I have shot this image down at the great crater, in the middle of Israel's Negev Desert - I feel this is one of my most pleasing images thus far. I dedicate it (as very much everything else on this site...) to my love, friend and wife, who's bravely put up with my desert ventures for many months now, Gali.