2020-04-02/10 / Click on image to enlarge
galacticsights
astrophotography
Surfboard Galaxy, M108
Technical Details
| Location | Zollikerberg, Switzerland |
| Camera | Nikon DSLR D810A |
| Telescope | TS ONTC 12" f/4 Carbon Newton |
| Optics | TS 2,5" Wynne Coma Corrector |
| Focal Length | 1140mm |
| Mount | iOptron CEM60 Center-Balanced Equatorial Mount |
| Autoguiding | PHD2 (Dithering) |
| Focuser | Moonlite |
| Planetarium Software | Stellarium | Image Session Control | APT - Astro Photography Tool v3.81, ASCOM Platform 6 |
| Lights | 33/36 x 120s (total 2h18'), ISO-1600, additional Biases, Flats, no Darks |
| Stacking Software | Pixinsight 1.8, Drizzle 2x |
| Image Processing | Pixinsight 1.8 |
The Surfboard Galaxy, M108, is located in the constellation Ursa Major approximately 46 million light-years away. The galaxy is seen nearly edge-on with no apparent bulge or pronounced core. It is therefore called the Surfboard galaxy. The M108 is officially classified as a barred spiral galaxy with loosely wound spiral arms. At the center of M108 is a supermassive black hole estimated to be 24 million times as massive as the Sun.
M108 is one of the largest and brightest members of the Ursa Major cluster. The best observatory time of the Surfboard Galaxy is in April, but it can be seen throughout the year for those in the Northern Hemisphere.