November 21, 2024

NGC 95 & 96 – Spiral Galaxies in Leo

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

Camera: Canon EOS Ra, Baader Mk III MPCC, GSO IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, ZWO ASI120MM mini, PHD2

Exposure: 36x60sec, gain ISO 1600 saved as RAW, dithered every 2 images

Darks: Internal

Flats: 32x1sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.6

Stacking: Average, 1 sigma clip

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

M95 (right) and 96 (left) are a relatively faint spiral galaxies in Leo. M95 shows a fascinating variety of detail including a compact ring of star formation surrounding the core and a golden bar connecting the core to the nearly circular, tightly wound inner spiral while M96 shows a faint, sweeping outer veil.