Hickson 44 Compact Galaxy Group in Leo

Telescope: ES Comet Hunter MN6 at f/4.8, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Baader modified Nikon 610

Filter: High Point 2” IR Blocking Filter

Guide scope: Williams Optics 50mm, ASI290MM mini, PHD

Exposure: 28x120sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/4sec, tee shirt flats taken at dusk

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

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.3 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

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

If you look closely galaxies are sprinkled across this field located just north of the beautiful binary star Algieba in Leo. At the center of this image is four galaxies that comprise the Hickson 44 Compact Galaxy Group. From left to right these NGC 3193, NGC 3190, NGC 3187, and NGC 8185. Of these NGC 3193 is an elliptical and the others are spirals. NGC 3187 is a barred spiral with a highly warped disk. Paul Hickson cataloged 100 compact galaxy groups, most of which form interacting groups with local concentrations of dark matter.

The Hickson 44 compact galaxy group is currently well placed high in the east as the sky darkens.