M32

Click on image for larger version.

Seldom is heard the name " M31" (the Great Andromeda Galaxy) without at least mentioning its closest elliptical companion, M32. This small galaxy is around 8,000 light years across (longest dimension) and contains a few billion stars (not that many). M32 is considered in the foreground of its larger parent galaxy. Note that the background looks mottled in this image. This is due to the millions of unresolved stars in the disk of M31. (you can even see a small HII region towards the right side of the image. Just imagine the view of of M31 from the outskirts of M32- words would certainly fail to describe the view.

Equipment

20in RC Optical Systems telescope Operating at f/8.4
Paramount ME Robotic Telescope Mount
SBIG ST10XME CCD camera with color filter wheel

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

Luminance = 12 minutes binned 1x1
 Red = 6 minutes binned 2x2
 Green = 6 minutes binned 2x2
 Blue = 6 minutes binned 2x2
  • One iteration of L-R deconvolution (sharpening) algorithm using CCDsharp was applied to the luminance image.

  • 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.

    • Minimum credit line: Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF

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    Updated: 10/17/2003