M108

Click on image for larger version.


 A color image of this galaxy transforms it from an otherwise mottled oval cloud into the complex workings of a spiral galaxy. Its spiral structure is hidden from view- and without a typical bulge in its center, astronomers classify this as spiral galaxy with difficulty. However, the most obvious details are the bright regions of star formation including clouds of young blue (hot) stars and pink emission nebulae all interlaced with obscuring clouds of gas and dust. The light that this image records is estimated to be 40 million years old.

Equipment

Meade 16in LX200 telescope operating at f/6.3 and f/10 (below)
SBIG ST8E CCD camera with color filter wheel

L R G B color production was used to create this image.

Luminance = 60 minutes binned 1x1
 Red = 20 minutes binned 2x2
 Green = 20 minutes binned 2x2
 Blue = 30 minutes binned 2x2
  • One iteration of L-R deconvolution (sharpening) algorithm using CCDsharp was applied to the luminance image.

  • The average FWHM for this image is 1.4" .
  • Digital Development (DDP) via Maxim/DL was also used in order to display the the very dim and very bright details of the image simultaneously.

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    Minimum credit line: George and Betsy Crossley/Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF (top image)
    Yon Ough/Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF (bottom image)

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    Updated: 3/12/2002