messier Archives - Astrodoc: Astrophotography by Ron Brecher

M101, The Pinwheel Galaxy

Ron Brecher — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:00:50 +0000

M101, The Pinwheel Galaxy Click image for full size version March 25, 2025 This galaxy is catalogued as M101, but is commonly referred to as the Pinwheel Galaxy. It is close to the handle of the Big Dipper. I have always found this a particularly difficult target to image well. For this image, I combined [...]

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M97, The Owl Nebula

Ron Brecher — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 06:48:48 +0000

M97, The Owl Nebula Click image for full size version June 3, 2024 I never understood this object's monicker, the Owl Nebula, until I researched to prepare this post. The name stuck after the 3rd Earle of Rosse, William Parsons, sketched it in 1848 with an appearance resembling an owl's head. The nebula formed about [...]

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Messier 3

Ron Brecher — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 07:58:14 +0000

Messier 3 Click image for full size version April 25, 2024 Messier 3 (M3) is a bright globular cluster in the southernmost part of the constellation Canes Venatici (the hunting dogs). I have imaged this object several times, including May 2017 and May 2019. However, the 14" telescope I'm using now gives it a whole new [...]

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M109

Ron Brecher — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 16:51:23 +0000

M109 Click image for full size version February 18, 2024 M109 is a barred spiral galaxy that lies around 67 million light years away in Ursa Major, plus or minus 23 million light years -- this reflects some uncertainty in the distance estimates. It is considered to be the most distant Messier object, followed by [...]

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M17, The Swan Nebula

Ron Brecher — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 15:27:25 +0000

M17, The Swan Nebula Click image for full size version December 4, 2023 Messier 17 is known as the Swan Nebula, owing to its appearance in the eyepiece. In a moderately sized telescope, only the brightest part of the nebula can be seen easily, and looks distinctly swan-like. Another nickname is the Omega Nebula; personally I [...]

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M76, The Little Dumbbell Nebula

Ron Brecher — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 22:41:26 +0000

M76, The Little Dumbbell Nebula Click image for full size version September 25, 2023 This is M76, also known as the Little Dumbbell nebula, and it is the faintest object in the Messier catalogue (but still visible in binoculars in a dark sky). It's nickname is a nod to the bigger, brighter showpiece object, the [...]

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Messier 94 (M94)

Ron Brecher — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 19:00:21 +0000

Messier 94 (M94) Click image for full size version June 6, 2023 Messier 94 (M94) is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Canes Venatici. It's about 16 million light years from us and has two rings. The inner ring structure is about 5,400 light years wide, and the outer ring is about 45,000 light [...]

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M74

Ron Brecher — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 19:52:48 +0000

M74 Click image for full size version November 6, 2022 M74 is a well-known galaxy in Pisces. It lies about 32 million light years from us and appears almost perfectly face-on. Although it contains 100 billion stars, its light is spread out, making it one of the toughest Messier object to see at the eyepiece. [...]

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M26

Ron Brecher — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 20:05:49 +0000

M26 Click image for full size version July 11, 2022 M26 lies in Scutum, about 5,160 light years from Earth. It has a diameter of about 22 light years and is estimated to be around 85 million years old. Although it is relatively bright, I've never imaged it before. And it's not just me. Like [...]

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Globular Cluster M92

Ron Brecher — Mon, 17 May 2021 18:06:22 +0000

Globular Cluster M92 Click image for full size version May 17, 2021 Globular cluster M92 lies in Hercules, not far from M13, which usually gets more attention from both visual observers and imagers. Late spring is, after all, globular season! M92 is one of my favourite telescope targets, especially in my 20" reflector. M92 lies [...]

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