NGC 404 – Mirach’s Ghost – Elliptical Galaxy in Andromeda

Telescope: Astro-Tech 8” f/8 Ritchey-Chretien, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Canon EOS Ra, Baader Mk III MPCC

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, Starlight Xpress Super Star, PHD2

Exposure: 12x120sec, ISO 800, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/2sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, Bortle 8, fair transparency

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.4

Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Backyard EOS, Deep Sky Stacker, Nebulosity, Photoshop

NGC 404 is a faint (Mv 10.3) elliptical galaxy located just 7 arc-seconds northwest of Mirach (beta Andromeda, Mv 2.1). Mirach is a red giant lying about 200 light years away, while NGC 404 is 10 million light years distant, just outside the Local Group of which our galaxy is a member. It is a relatively small galaxy with an estimated diameter of only 9,600 light years.

This is one of my favorite easy to find targets. I first came across Mirach’s Ghost when using Mirach as an alignment and focusing target. Visually it can be a bit of a challenge to spot at first, but once you glimpse it then it becomes fairly obvious.

NGC 404 is currently well-placed high overhead in the early evening.