M104 The Sombrero Galaxy
Third Place - BINTEL Astrophotographer of the Year 2023
https://www.bintel.com.au/bintel-astrophotographer-of-the-year-2023-winner-home-page/
Crop from full frame
RIP Geoffrey Hubbard
While I was collecting the ancient photons to form this image, after they had travelled for some 50 Million years
on their way to my camera at Eagleview Observatory, my dear friend Tim Hubbards father, Geoffrey Hubbard was losing
his battle with life. Sadly on Wednesday 14 June Geoffrey lost this battle and passed away. I would like to dedicate
this image to the memory of Geoffrey Hubbard and send my best wishes to the Hubbard family and friends at this sad time.
This famous galaxy in Virgo has a characteristic yellow hue from the many old stars in its gigantic spherical halo
and the large amount of dust in the disc of the galaxy, which causes interstellar reddening. The disc of the galaxy
has a detailed, thick and obscuring dust lane and is seen almost edge on from our vantage point, some 50 Million
light years away. The galaxy gets its quirky name from its resemblance to the brim of the venerable Mexican hat.
*NB: No Blur Exterminator or other AI based sharpening, was used on this data.
Orion Optics UK AG12 F3.8
Starlightxpress TRIUS PRO-694 Midi Combi PRO Blue Edition incl.CFW & OAG unit
LRGB = 570min, 60min, 60min, 60min Combined total exposure 12.5 hrs
Astronomik Deep-Sky LRGB and 6nm Ha filters
-20C chip temp, flats used but no dark frames.
Focal length 1120mm
Image scale 0.84"/pix
FLI Atlas Focuser
Guide Camera: Starlightxpress Lodestar PRO
Comments
Data collected 11, 16 & 18 June 2023, new moon, good seeing (FWHM of individual Lum frames 1.5"-1.9")
and excellent transparency
Taken from Eagleview Observatory:
https://pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/eagleview_observatory
Equipment setup:
https://pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/173097781/original
Some links to equipment used to take this image:
Sidereal Trading
https://www.siderealtrading.com.au/
StarlightXpress CCD Cameras and imaging equipment
http://www.sxccd.com/products
Finger Lakes Instrumentation CCD cameras:
http://www.flicamera.com/
Gerd Neumann and Astronomik filters:
http://www.astronomik.com/en/home
http://www.gerdneumann.net/
MSB Software & Astroart Camera control and Image processing software
http://www.msb-astroart.com/
