NGC 4631 & NGC 4656
Common Name: Whale Galaxy (NGC 4631) & Hockey Stick Galaxy (NGC 4656)
Also Known as: Caldwell 32 (NGC 4631), Crowbar Galaxy (NGC 4656)
Object Type: Barred Spiral Galaxies
Constellation: Canes Venatici
Distance from Earth: 30 million light years (both)
Apparent Magnitude: 8.9 (NGC4631)... 11.0 (NGC 4656)
Coordinates: RA 12H 42M 08.0S DEC 32 deg 32 min 29 sec
Actual Size: 132,000 light years (NGC 4631), 113,000 light years (NGC 4656)
Apparent Dimensions: 15.5 arc-minutes x 2.7 arc-minutes (NGC 4631)... 12.9 arc-minutes (NGC 4656)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environmental Data
Date: March 22, 2021 Start Time: 7:56PM End Time: 1:09AM SQM: 15.38
Moon Age: 8.7 days Moonset: 3:05AM Moon Illumination: 63.7%
Temperature: 54 degrees F Humidity: 46% Dew Point: 33.7 degrees F
Location: Westport, Massachusetts 02790 Sky Condition: Clear
Comment:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imaging Scope Data
Mount: iOptron CEM120 Camera: ZWO ASI071 OSC Focuser: Optec DirectSync SV35
Telescope: Stellarvue SVX130 refractor Focal Length: 910mm
Focal Reducer/Field Flattener: Field Flattener Filter: None
Rotator: Pegasus Falon rotator Power Control: None Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip
Imaging Software
Mount: iOptron Commander Focuser: Optec FocusLynx Commander
Imaging: Sequence Generator Pro Platesolve: Platesolve 2 Rotator/Control: Pegasus Unity Platform
Imaging Status
Imaging Software: Sequence generated Focus HFR 1.44 Platesolve: Success on 2nd attempt
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guide Scope Data
Telescope: Stellarvue SV90 refractor Camera: Lodestar X2 Focuser: Optec DirectSync SVX30
Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip Software: PHD2 Exposure: - sec Binning: 1x1 Tracking Result: - arc-seconds RMS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Images Taken
Number of light frames: 115 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 2x2 F-Stop: 7.0
Total Integration Time: 3.83 hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of flat frames: 50 Duration: 0.08 Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 2x2 F-Stop: 7.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Dark frames: 15 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 2x2 F-Stop: 7.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Bias frames: 15 Duration: 0.001 seconds Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 2x2 F-Stop: 7.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imaging Processing
Imaging Processing Software: PixInsight
Processes utilized: Flats ImageCalibration with Master Bias, Flat ImageIntegration, Images ImageCalibration with Flat Master & Dark Master, Debayer, SubFrameSelector, StarAlign, ImageIntegration, DynamciCrop. DynamicBackgroundExtraction, SpectroPhotometricColorCalibration, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator, GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch script, MultiscaleLinearTransform for sharpening, CurvesTransformation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes: Fogged rolled in reducing imaging time
Click Below Image for Full Size:
Click to Return to Home Page