The Pavo Spiral

NGC 6744 - The Pavo Spiral

Image copyright: Leslie Rose

The Pavo Spiral, NGC 6744, is a spiral galaxy some 30 million light years away in the constellation Pavo (the Peacock). It is notable for being most similar to our own Milky Way of any nearby galaxy. It has a barred spiral structure with an elongated core, flocculent spiral arms, and at least one satellite dwarf galaxy.

8.2 Hours of total imaging time with 34x 10minute luminance subs and 30x 5 minute R, G & B subs

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Celestron C8 XLT

Imaging cameras: Atik 383L+

Mounts: CGEM

Guiding telescopes or lenses: Celestron C8 XLT

Guiding cameras: meade DSI Pro II Mono

Software: photoshop, CCDWare CCDStack 2, Diffraction Limited MaxIm DL 5 Pro, Pure Image NR

Filters: Astrodon True Balance LRGB E-Series Gen2 Blue, Astrodon True Balance LRGB E-Series Gen2 Green, Astrodon True Balance LRGB E-Series Gen2 Red, Astrodon True Balance LRGB E-Series Gen2 Luminance

Accessories: Atik OAG, AstroZap Dew Control, Atik Manual filterwheel

Resolution: 3172x2394

Dates: April 18, 2015

Frames:
Astrodon True Balance LRGB E-Series Gen2 Blue: 10x300" -25C bin 1x1
Astrodon True Balance LRGB E-Series Gen2 Green: 10x300" -25C bin 1x1
Astrodon True Balance LRGB E-Series Gen2 Luminance: 34x600" -25C bin 1x1
Astrodon True Balance LRGB E-Series Gen2 Red: 10x300" -25C bin 1x1

Integration: 8.2 hours

Darks: ~17

Flats: ~20

Bias: ~20

Avg. Moon age: 28.64 days

Avg. Moon phase: 0.90%

Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 1.00

Temperature: 2.00

RA center: 287.449 degrees

DEC center: -63.882 degrees

Orientation: 92.045 degrees

Field radius: 0.528 degrees

Locations: Blesfontein Guest Farm, Sutherland, western cape, South Africa