Pinwheel Galaxy M101

Astrophotography by David Gares

Pinwheel Galaxy M101

M101, the Pinwheel Galaxy, is a difficult target in the city. I can't see it in the telescope. It was getting low in the sky so I cut the exposure short and moved on; hence it's underexposed and lacks contrast. From a dark site the spiral arms can be seen visually and it photographs very well. It was discovered in 1781 and declared to be a "spiral nebula" (the concept of galaxies was unknown at the time).

Pinwheel Galaxy M101
(Click image to enlarge)

Object Details:

Type: Spiral Galaxy
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance: 27 million light-years
Diameter: 170,000 light-years

Image Details:

Date: April 17, 2004
Site: Harahan, LA
Exposure: CCD, 5 x 5 min.
Filters: Orion SkyGlow LPR
Processing: MSB Astroart 3.0
Telescope: 10" Meade LX200
Reducer: Meade, f/4.3
CCD: Starlight Express MX7C
Autoguider: S.T.A.R. 2000