The Messier Ten Minute Challenge

M61 - Galaxy in Virgo

Click here for a review of the strengths and weaknesses of the Global Rent-A-Scope operation.

This image was created by median combining 7 x 90 second unfiltered images taken with a Takahashi Epsilon 250 with SBIG ST-8XE CCD. The image has been cut down to be 20 x 20 arc minutes in size.

Messier 61 (NGC 4303) is a spiral galaxy with a diameter of 100,000 light years that is situated in the Virgo Cluster. This galaxy shows a wealth of features, ranging from the bar with dust lanes emerging from the central bulge to numerous bright associations of young stars farther out in the arms.

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In collaboration with the Remote Astronomical Society Observatory

Martin Nicholson - Daventry, United Kingdom.

This page was last updated on April 15th 2009.