50 replies to this topic

[Spaceman 56]

Hello people.

 

I shot the Helix Nebula recently in OSC.

 

click to enlarge.

 

 

looking a bit closer at the top left hand corner I can see something that looks like it could be a small Galaxy.

 

 

I would like to know what it is.  

 

I realise its hard to judge these things from a 396KB sampled down image.

 

this is a link to a High Quality version (in Fliker) that shows significantly better detail than either of the above two shots.

 

https://www.flickr.c...445644/sizes/k/

 

I looked inside both Stellarium and KStars planetarium, but could not see an NGC to identify this object.

 

could it be a Galaxy, or something else ?

 

if its something else, what might it be ?

 

Thanks Spaceman.   

Edited by Spaceman 56, 15 February 2025 - 05:31 AM.

[BQ Octantis]

G'day Spaceman!

 

Simbad sez, it's the galaxy 2MFGC 16944:

 

http://simbad.cds.un...t=SIMBAD search

 

To teach a man to fish, I simply used Stellarium to find it. I picked a nice viewing location from the Red Centre, selected the closest star within the Helix, and then did a Simbad query from the Find dialog box. The "star" was in fact the galaxy of interest:

 

 

I then plugged in the "2MFGC 16944" in the web Simbad search field, and Bob's your uncle.

 

Cheers,

 

BQ

Edited by BQ Octantis, 15 February 2025 - 06:42 AM.

[Spaceman 56]

G'day Spaceman!

 

Simbad sez, it's the galaxy 2MFGC 16944:

 

BQ

Hey BQ.

 

so it is a Galaxy   Excellent work.  

 

I had never seen it mentioned (anywhere) that there was a Galaxy inside the Helix, so thats why I started this thread.

 

does it actually have a name ? or is it just a number ?  Simbad might know. 

 

I think all Galaxies should have a name, as they are substantial objects, so I will call it the Helix Nebula Galaxy.

 

unless you think the Ozzie Mozzie Galaxy is a better name.    

[matt_astro_tx]

You upgraded to a 10" RC.  Whoa.  Nice job with it, that image is great.

[Spaceman 56]

You upgraded to a 10" RC.  Whoa.  Nice job with it, that image is great.

Thank you Matt.   

 

I was very pleased with the Helix Result. definitely one of my best.  Processed by ACRH2 who collaborates with me. 

 

yes the little 80mm Stellarvue Doublet got replaced with a Takahashi FSQ-106 Quadruplet (because BobEQ said it was his dream scope) and then once I realised that the FSQ was basically a wide field scope, and I wanted to shoot Galaxies I bought the RC-10.

 

the RC-10 really is in a completely different league in terms of both Focal length and Aperture, so quite challenging to get the best out of it.

 

I found that to get real quality results, I needed to be more fussy about ditching poor and medium quality subs. 

another thing thats helped me is that I never shoot low any more. an hour and a half either side of meridian seems to be best.

 

Hope you are doing good too. 

[WadeH237]

I had never seen it mentioned (anywhere) that there was a Galaxy inside the Helix, so thats why I started this thread.

If you go deep enough, there are little galaxies everywhere.

 

I doubt that you could take a field as wide as your Helix shot, without finding at least a few, no matter where you point the scope.

[WadeH237]

You upgraded to a 10" RC.  Whoa.  Nice job with it, that image is great.

Indeed.  I have always believed that you have a natural talent that benefits you even more than your dark skies.

 

I am a bit envious of this

[Spaceman 56]

Indeed.  I have always believed that you have a natural talent that benefits you even more than your dark skies.

 

I am a bit envious of this

Matty Astro from Texas has natural talent for sure. 

 

Many others on this forum also have far more natural talent than me.  

 

But I am dedicated, and try very hard to take good Subs.  I focus on the basics, and try to zero in on small things.

I never sleep when the cameras shooting. I am out there with it, watching and thinking, and sometimes making adjustments.

 

whilst I am out there shooting I often spend a lot of time on this forum, reading stuff that I will never understand, but just a small part of it registers, and effects my choices and actions. and slowly it seems that I do make some progress with acquisition.  

 

I feel that AstroPhotography is a Team Effort. none of us have an hope of doing it particularly well if we are completely on our own.

ACRH2 processes the images, and does incredibly well, and I feel they are his images, as much as they are mine. 

 

Beyond all this, the secret sauce is the Dark Skies.  

Edited by Spaceman 56, 16 February 2025 - 05:48 AM.

[BQ Octantis]

does it actually have a name ? or is it just a number ?  Simbad might know. 

 

I think all Galaxies should have a name, as they are substantial objects, so I will call it the Helix Nebula Galaxy.

 

unless you think the Ozzie Mozzie Galaxy is a better name.    

I would argue most galaxies have no proper name. Less so down in your neck of the woods. There is a proud tradition of naming things you don't find names for. For instance, I—upon having just returned to Oz from New Zealand—named the color contrast structure in Mare Nubium The Great Claw: the claw of Haast's Eagle, flung onto the moon as a tribute to its magnificence as the largest eagle to have ever existed.

 

Not sure I'd go with Ozzie Mozzie, as the Helix is ideally placed up near zenith in mid winter—which is not mozzie season in Oz. Maybe Ozzie Zeenie?

 

BQ

[Spaceman 56]

 There is a proud tradition of naming things you don't find names for.

 

For instance, I—upon having just returned to Oz from New Zealand—named the color contrast structure in Mare Nubium The Great Claw: the claw of Haast's Eagle, flung onto the moon as a tribute to its magnificence as the largest eagle to have ever existed

 

BQ

OK.  I did not know about that proud tradition.

all Galaxies need a name. they are important and could contain thousands of intelligent life forms, and billions of planets. 

 

I will therefore name the Galaxy previously known as 2MFGC-16944 to.....

 

"the Helix Nebula Galaxy".  

 

if anyone objects to this name, and feels its inappropriate, please say so now.  

 

I think that the Great Claw is also an excellent name. well done BQ.   

Edited by Spaceman 56, 17 February 2025 - 01:06 AM.

[imtl]

There are other galaxies even "more inside" the helix. Why this one is different than the others and deserves its own name? 

Edited by imtl, 16 February 2025 - 04:05 PM.

[matt_astro_tx]

There are other galaxies even "more inside" the helix. Why this one is different than the others and deserves its own name? 

Because Spaceman discovered it, of course.

[imtl]

Because Spaceman discovered it, of course.

  

[BQ Octantis]

OK.  I did not know about that proud tradition.

all Galaxies need a name. they are important and could contain thousands of intelligent life forms, and billions of planets.

Here you go, mate!

 

https://www.nameagalaxy.com/

 

Cheers,

 

BQ.

Of Octans.

As in the bloody star BQ Octantis, which I chose as my nom de guerre.

Edited by BQ Octantis, 16 February 2025 - 07:00 PM.

[imtl]

Here you go, mate!

 

https://www.nameagalaxy.com/

 

Cheers,

 

BQ.

Of Octans.

As in the bloody star BQ Octantis, which I chose as my nom de guerre.

I'm going to name every galaxy ever imaged by HST and JWST that has no name yet. Mark my words I shall succeed!

[BQ Octantis]

I'm going to name every galaxy ever imaged by HST and JWST that has no name yet. Mark my words I shall succeed!

Give it a go, mate! Let me know when you're finished so we can find you some more…

[Spaceman 56]

Because Spaceman discovered it, of course.

No. I just noticed it in an image, and wondered what it was.  

 

I am sure it was discovered many moons ago, by telescopes much more capable than mine.

[BrentKnight]

In some fields, there are galaxies that don't have a name or a designation.  If you find one of those (and they aren't that hard to find) you might even be the first to actually see it.

[imtl]

No. I just noticed it in an image, and wondered what it was.  

 

I am sure it was discovered many moons ago, by telescopes much more capable than mine.

Well obviously if it is on Simbad it was discovered many moon ago. It's still very nice to see it with a tiny bit of details in your image. It's fun to scan an image for little details after working hard to make it.

[BQ Octantis]

Wait…the galaxy is in the nebula? 🤯

 

[matt_astro_tx]

No. I just noticed it in an image, and wondered what it was.  

 

I am sure it was discovered many moons ago, by telescopes much more capable than mine.

Hey, sometimes noticing is all it takes.  "Noticing" things has gotten me astonishingly far in my career!

[Andros246]

I think it should be called “the Galaxy behind the helix nebula”

[imtl]

I think it should be called “the Galaxy behind the helix nebula”

I think maybe "the galaxy behind the helix nebula that triggered a topic with 22 replies on cloudynights". That way it will help promote the site!

[Spaceman 56]

Helix Nebula Galaxy is  already coming up in the top 5 in a Google search.

 

above Hubble Site and BBC Sky at Night.

 

 

so I guess the " Helix Nebula Galaxy "  is now here to stay.  

 

Hard to argue with these search AI robot things. they just do whatever they want.

 

Cloudy Nights must be promoting things incredibly well. 

Edited by Spaceman 56, 17 February 2025 - 01:03 AM.

[BQ Octantis]

It's fun to scan an image for little details after working hard to make it.

 

Hear, hear! Long ago I even became a galaxy hunter. After Centaurus, Pavo, Fornax and Virgo, I went so far as to shoot the more obscure Antlia and Dorado just so I could reach 1000. But even with my nascent attempt with Centaurus, I discovered there were numerous galaxies unnamed.

 

BQ

Edited by BQ Octantis, 17 February 2025 - 07:10 AM.