M77

Click on image for larger version.

M77 is a tremendous galaxy in the constellation of Cetus. It is over 170,000 light years across (the largest Messier galaxy) and over 49 million light years away. In this image you can see the very bright center and if you dim the lights in the room you can just make out the very dim outer arms. M77 is also remarkable because its central region emits copious amounts of energy. It is believed that the only source that could generate this amount of energy is a supermassive blackhole (as if a run-of-the-mill blackhole wasn't enough). In fact, the entire nucleus of this galaxy changes in brightness in a period of less than a week!. An energetic galaxy such as this falls into a special catagory called Seyfert galaxies (named after the discoverer Carl Seyfert). The galaxy is also a very strong radio source (for the reasons above). There have been more astronomical papers written about this galaxy than any others!

Equipment

Meade 16in LX200 telescope operating at f/10
SBIG ST8E CCD camera with color filter wheel

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

Luminance = 80 minutes binned 1x1
 Red = 20 minutes binned 2x2
 Green = 20 minutes binned 2x2
 Blue = 40 minutes binned 2x2
  • This galaxy is an exceedingly difficult object since it has both very bright features in the center and VERY dim outer spiral arms.
  • Thin clouds and moon hampered this image a bit.
  • One iteration of L-R deconvolution (sharpening) algorithm using CCDsharp was applied to the luminance image.
  • The AO unit was used to for this session.
  • 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: Michael Chase/Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF

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    Updated: 10/9/2001