Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Ursa Major (UMa)  ·  Contains:  Bode's Galaxy  ·  Cigar Galaxy  ·  M 81  ·  M 82  ·  NGC 3031  ·  NGC 3034
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M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN, Göran Nilsson
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M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN, Göran Nilsson
Powered byPixInsight

M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN

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Description

This was my entry in the monthly processing challenge on SGL in August 2021. Data kindly provided by the Ikarus Imaging Observatory run by FLO in Spain. 120 x 5 min of each of R,G,B. 360 x 5 min of lum and 120 x 20 min of Ha, so 100 hours in total. That really helped bringing our the IFN and the question for me was how much to let out without making it to messy.

IFN (Integrated Flux Nebulosity) is thought to be dust in the outskirts of our galaxy illuminated by the combined radiation of the Milky Way. It is an extremely faint type of nebulosity.

Arp's Loop (the arching structure to the right of M81) and Holmberg IX (a bluish fuzzy mini galaxy just above M81) are clearly visible. Arp once thought this "loop" was connected to M81 but it is now known to be IFN belonging to the Milky Way, so much closer.

Comments

Revisions

  • M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN, Göran Nilsson
    Original
  • M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN, Göran Nilsson
    B
  • M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN, Göran Nilsson
    C
  • M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN, Göran Nilsson
    D
  • M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN, Göran Nilsson
    E
  • Final
    M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN, Göran Nilsson
    F

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M81 & M82 & a lot of IFN, Göran Nilsson