About this Object:
Messier 102 (also called the Spindle Galaxy or NGC 5866) is a relatively bright lenticular or spiral galaxy in the constellation Draco. One of the most outstanding features of M102 is the extended dust disk, which is seen exactly edge-on. This dust disk is highly unusual for a lenticular galaxy. The dust in most lenticular galaxies is generally found only near the nucleus and generally follows the light profile of the galaxies' bulges. This dust disk may contain a ring-like structure, although the shape of this structure is difficult to determine given the edge-on orientation of the galaxy. It is also possible that the galaxy is a spiral galaxy that was misclassified as a lenticular galaxy because of its edge-on orientation, in which case the dust disk would not be too unusual.
About this Photo:
Date(s): May 5, 2011
Location: From my driveway in Georgetown, Texas
Telescope: Celestron C9250 @ F10
Mount: CGEM
Guiding: Orion StarShoot AutoGuider / Taurus Tracker III OAG
Camera: Canon 40D Modified
Filter: Astronomik CLS
Exposure: 24 x 600s @ ISO1600 (4 Hours total)
Acquisition: ImagesPlus 3.75 Camera Control
Processing: ImagesPlus 3.75 – Darks,Flats,Bias
Post-processing: Adobe Photoshop CS3; Gradient Exterminator; Noise Ninja; Noel Carboni's Tools; Star Spikes Pro
Temperature(s): 65º F