NGC 2403 is a spiral galaxy that belongs to the M81 group, a collection of galaxies in the constellation of Giraffe. It was discovered in 1788 by the astronomer William Herschel.
Here are some interesting features of NGC 2403:
- Distance from Earth: NGC 2403 is about 8 million light-years from Earth. It is one of the closest galaxies to our Local Group, which includes the Milky Way.
- Similarities to the Andromeda galaxy: NGC 2403 is similar in size and structure to the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and is one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible from Earth.
- Stars and star-forming regions: The galaxy is known for its many star-forming regions, which appear as bright pink or red areas in colour images. These regions are filled with hydrogen gas where new stars are being born.
- Cepheid variables and distance measurements: NGC 2403 is important for extragalactic distance studies. It has a significant number of Cepheid variables, whose properties have been used to calibrate the cosmic distance scale.
- Spiral structure and spiral arms: It has a well-defined spiral structure, with prominent spiral arms where many young blue stars and star clusters are found.
- Observation: NGC 2403 can be observed with amateur telescopes and provides a spectacular view with visible details of its spiral arms and star-forming regions.
- Astronomical studies: The galaxy has been the subject of many astronomical studies, including those on star formation, the structure of spiral galaxies, and the distribution of dark matter within galaxies.
- NGC 2403 is a classic example of a spiral galaxy and remains an important source of information for astronomers studying the structure and evolution of galaxies.
I captured this image remotely from Nerpio, Spain, using my Celestron C11HD Edge telescope equipped with an ASI294mm Pro Camera, mounted on an EQ8RH. The image combines RGB data with Ha (Hydrogen-alpha) data.
Although this is only my second attempt using this setup, I'm not entirely satisfied with the outcome. I plan to dedicate a few more hours to capturing RGB and Luminance data to enhance the spiral details of the galaxy. Nonetheless, I am quite pleased with how the integration of Ha data into the RGB turned out; from my perspective, it looks quite effective.
Enjoy, and clear skies!
Timo
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