2026-04-23 / Image Details (Click on image to enlarge)
galacticsights
astrophotography
Galaxy M109
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 CEM120 Center-Balanced Equatorial Mount |
| Autoguiding | PHD2 (Dithering) |
| Focuser | Moonlite Nitecrawler |
| Image Session Control | APT - Astro Photography Tool, ASCOM Platform |
| Lights | 84 x 120s (total 2h48'), ISO-800, additional Biases, Flats, no Darks |
| Stacking Software | Pixinsight 1.9, Drizzle 2x |
| Image Processing | Pixinsight 1.9 |
The brightest member of a group of roughly 80 galaxies known as the Ursa Major Galaxy Cluster, Messier 109 is a barred spiral galaxy that is home to a trillion stars. Observed in 1781 by Charles Messier, the galaxy was officially added to the Messier catalog in 1953. It lies approximately 60 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major, and has a magnitude of 9.8, making it one of the faintest Messier objects. Astronomers believe M109’s structure may be influenced by interactions with three satellite galaxies. The galaxy is best seen in spring, but is both dim and diffuse, making it extremely difficult to distinguish in light-polluted skies. (Text adapted from NASA's Messier Catalogue)