NGC 7263, NGC 7264, NGC 7265 Galaxies

Also Known as: PGC 68642 (NGC 7263),

Object Type: Lenticular Galaxy (NGC 7263 & NGC 7265), Spiral Galaxy (NGC 7264)

Constellation: Lacerta

Distance from Earth: 270 to 283 million light years (NGC 7263), 250 million light years (NGC 7264), 220 million light years (NGC 7265)

Apparent Magnitude: 15.7 (NGC 7263), 14.7 (NGC 7264)

Coordinates: RA 22H 22M 53S DEC 36 deg 28 min 48 sec (NGC 7263), RA 22H 23M 22S DEC 36 deg 31 min 02 sec (NGC 7264), RA 22H 23M 22S DEC 36 deg 31 min 02 sec (NGC 7264)

Actual Size: 235,000 light year in diameter (NGC 7265)

Apparent Dimensions: 0.94 arc-minutes x 0.76 arc-minutes (NGC 7263), 1.99 arc-minutes x 0.3 arc-minutes (NGC 7264)

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Environmental Data

Date: September 3, 2025     Start Time: 8:18PM     End Time: 3:29AM     SQM: 18.13

Moon Age: 10.7 days     Moonset: 0:13AM    Moon Illumination: 82.6%

Temperature: 65.7 degrees F    Humidity: 65%   Dew Point: 53.6 degrees F

Location: Westport, Massachusetts 02790    Sky Condition: Clear

Comment:

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Imaging Scope Data

Mount: iOptron CEM120     Camera: ZWO ASI2600 monochrome     Focuser: Optec QuickSync FT20

Telescope: Celestron 11 inch SCT Edge   Focal Length: 2800mm

Focal Reducer/Field Flattener: None     Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip

Filter Wheel : ZWO EFW 7 position 2 inch  Filter(s): Baader Lum CMOS optimized 2 inch, Baader RED CMOS optimized 2 inch, Baader GREEN CMOS optimized 2 inch, Baader BLUE CMOS optimized 2 inch

Rotator: Pegasus Falcon 2     Power Control: Pegasus Ultimate Powerbox V2  

Imaging Software

Mount: iOptron Commander     Focuser: Optec FocusLynx Commander

Imaging: Sequence Generator Pro     Platesolve: ASTAP    Rotator/Control: Pegasus Unity Platform

Imaging Status

Imaging Software: Sequence Generated     Focus HFR 4.48     Platesolve: Success on 3rd attempt    

Guide Scope Data

Telescope: Stellarvue SVX130 refractor    Camera: ZWO ASI290     Focuser: Optec DirectSync SV35

Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip    Software: PHD2    Exposure: 2 sec    Binning: 1x1   Tracking Result: 0.6 arc-seconds RMS

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Images Taken

Number of light frames (LUM): 86        Duration: 2 minutes        Gain: 100        

Number of light frames (Red): 30        Duration: 2 minutes        Gain: 100        

Number of light frames (Green): 30        Duration: 2 minutes        Gain: 100        

Number of light frames (Blue: 30        Duration: 2 minutes        Gain: 100        

Camera Temperature: 0 degrees C        Binning: 1x1        F-Stop: 10.0        

Total Integration Time: 7.17 hours

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Number of flat frames (LUM): 0        Duration: 0.04        Gain:100        

Number of flat frames (Red): 0        Duration: 0.12        Gain: 100        

Number of flat frames (Green): 0        Duration: 0.085        Gain: 100        

Number of flat frames (Blue): 0        Duration: 0.16        Gain: 100        

Flat Field Illumination: All-Pro 'Spike-a-Flat Field standard' illuminated panel

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Number of Dark frames: 50 (from library)       Duration: 2 minutes        Gain: 100        

Number of Bias frames: 50 (from library)      Duration: 0.001 seconds        Gain: 100        

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Imaging Processing

Imaging Processing Software: PixInsight

Processes utilized: Linear - calibration/integration: For each of the LUM, RED, GREEN, and BLUE lights: Flats ImageCalibration with Master Bias, Flat ImageIntegration, Images ImageCalibration with Flat Master & Dark Master, SubFrameSelector
StarAlign all calibrated lights using best LUM image as reference, ImageIntegration of each of the LUM, RED, GREEN, and BLUE sets

Linear - Background extraction, Color correction, deconvolution, noise reduction:
LUM DynamicCrop, GraXpert, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator, MultiscaleLinearTransform to sharpen
RED/GREEN/BLUE DynamicCrop, GraXpert, ChannelCombination to create color image using only Red/Green/Blue, ImageSolve script, SpectroPhotometricColorCalibration, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator

Non-Linear: LUM: GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch script, HistrogramTransform to darken background, MultiScaleLinearTransform to sharpen galaxies.
COLOR: GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch script, istrogramTransform to darken background
ImageBlend of Luminance and color images, HistogramTransformation to darken background

Notes:

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