NGC 2683 – Spiral Galaxy in Lynx

Telescope: Meade 12” LX850 ACF @ f/8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: ZWO ASI071 MC Pro, -10C, Gain 200

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

Guide scope: Astro-Tech 60mm, ASI290MM Mini, PHD2

Exposure: 17x240sec, saved as FITS

Darks: 32x240s, saved as FITS

Flats: 32×0.2sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, Bortle 8, poor transparency, haze and clouds

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.4 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Nebulosity, Deep Sky Stacker, Photoshop

NGC 2683 is a moderately bright, nearly edge-on spiral galaxy in Lynx. The relatively bright inner core is a fairly easy visual target for modest size telescopes while the faint outer expanse becomes visible in long exposure images. This is the first in a series of images that I hope to take of galaxies that are a bit off of the beaten path in the coming months using either this 12” LX850 or my trusty SN10. It will be fun seeing which performs better; the high resolution of the LX850 or the fast optics of the SN10.

NGC 2683 is currently well placed high in the northeast during the early evening.