During the winter months, many of us immediately image M42 – The Orion Nebula. But Orion contains many other interesting targets, including NGC 2175 – The Monkey Head Nebula. Only 6,350 light years away, the Monkey Head Nebula is bright and easy to photograph, especially with narrowband filters (Hydrogen-Alpha, Sulphur-II, and Oxygen-III).
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NGC 4725 is a striking spiral galaxy situated in the constellation Coma Berenices. Its placement in the night sky makes it a great subject for astronomers and astrophotographers alike. From Earth, NGC 4725 is 40 million light years away (40 mega-light years). This particular galaxy is the brightest member of the Coma I group of galaxies.
NGC 4725 showcases a grand spiral structure with well-defined arms that sweep outward from its bright central core. The galaxy spans a considerable distance, with its spiral arms adorned with regions of active star formation and interstellar dust.
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Globular Cluster M2 is a captivating assembly of stars located in the constellation Aquarius. This globular cluster, situated approximately 33,000 light-years from Earth, has become a celestial highlight for observers worldwide due to is brightness, size, and easy observability.
M2 boasts a dense and symmetrical core, comprising hundreds of thousands of stars gravitationally bound together. The stars within M2 are ancient, with ages estimated to be around 13 billion years, making them some of the oldest objects in our Milky Way galaxy (our sun is only 4.5 billion years old).
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Galaxies M81 and M82 stand as celestial neighbors in the Ursa Major constellation, captivating astronomers and stargazers alike with their unique features and cosmic stories.
M81, also known as Bode’s Galaxy, is a grand spiral galaxy, exhibiting well-defined spiral arms and a prominent central bar structure. The outer arms are adorned with regions of star formation and dust lanes. Around 29 million light years away, the bright central region contributes to the galaxy’s overall brightness.
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