Galaxies are clusters of stars that rotate in a gravitational field that is caused by themselves of by a central super massive black hole. Usually they are imaged in RGB, although sometimes narrowband is added to show traces of gas between them.

On 13, 15 and 18 September 2020 I imaged Stephan's Quintet (Hickson Compact Group 92, or HCG92) and NGC7331, also known as Caldwell 30. Stephan's quintet (lower right on the image) is a group of five galaxies at 210-340 million light-years with a seemingly sixth companion, recognizable by its blue colour, at 'only' 39 million light-years.

At the upper left NCG7331, a spiral galaxy at about 40 light-years, can be seen with next to it another four galaxies. Looking at the rest of this area dozens of other galaxies can be found.

A total of 13 hours and 10 minutes of data was collected:

Processing done in APP, post-processing redone in 2022 in Siril, PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

Click here for the annotated image (annotation with ASTAP).

IC2574 was imaged on 7 and 8 March 2025. It is also known as Coddington's Nebula and is a dwarf spiral galaxy. It was discovered by American astronomer Edwin Foster Coddington in 1898. As part of the M81 group it is located at a distance of 12.8 million light-years from Earth in the direction of Ursa Major.

Imaging was done in LRGB, a total of 17 hours and 2 minutes of data was collected for this galaxy:

Captured with the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -15°C. Processing in APP, PSP and Topaz DeNoise AI.

The image shown here is a crop, click here for the full image.

In 2021 I added a SkyWatcher Esprit ED80 to my set-up to be able to make wide-field images. The first proper test was done on M31, the Andromeda Galaxy. It was just a short imaging session to see how the scope performed. Imaging was done with the ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera. A total of 1 hour and 20 minutes of data was collected:

Processing done in APP, post-processing in PSP.

Clearly the image needs much more data, but this first attempt is good enough to see the quality of the scope.

Click here for the full image.

In 2023 I decided to have another go at M31, the Andromeda Galaxy. As the previous time showed that it did not properly fit the sensor, I decided to shoot it in a two-panel mosaic. Imaging was done with the SkyWatcher Esprit 80ED, ZWO EFW with ZWO LRGB filters and a ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera. A total of 6 hours of data was collected (3 hours per panel):

Processing done in APP, post-processing in Siril, Topaz and PSP.

Click here for the full image.

On 2 and 3 November 2024 M33 was imaged with the SkyWatcher Esprit 80ED APO and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera. This galaxy, better known as the Triangulum Galaxy, is part of the Local Group and can be found in the constellation of Triangulum at a distance of 2.73 million light-years from earth. It has a diameter of 61,100 light-years and moves towards us at a speed of approximately 182km/s, which means it will collide with us in approximately 4.5 billion years from now (approximately around the time our Sun will swallow us before it becomes a white dwarf).

A total of 17 hours and 17 minutes of data was collected:

Processing done in APP, post-processing using PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

When using LRGB alone, as shown in adjacent image, the star-forming regions of M33 are less noticeable, while the core becomes bluer.

Without H-alpha a total of 11 hours and 30 minutes of data was used:

Processing done in APP, post-processing using PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

On 24, 29 and 30 March 2019 I spent some time on Messier 51, better known as the Whirlpool Galaxy (see figure 16), using the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED APO and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera. A total of 5 hours and 20 minutes of data was collected:

Processing done in APP, post-processing redone in 2022 in Siril, PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

The largest of these two galaxies is M58, the smaller one NGC4564. M58, discovered by Charles Messier on 15 April 1779, can be found in the constellation of Virgo and is one of the brightest galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. The distance to M58 is approximately 68 million lightyears, that to NGC4564 57 million lightyears.

A total of 9 hours and 31 minutes was spent on this group of galaxies on 18 and 19 April 2025:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

The annotated versions can be found here and here.

This group of galaxies contain, among others, M59 (at the centre) and M60 (the largest at the lower left). They were discovered by Johann Gottfried Köhler on 11 April 1779. Behind M60 another galaxy, NGC4647, can be seen. Together with M60 they for a pair known as Arp 116. The distance to M60 is 57 million lightyears, that to M59 50.1 million lightyears, and NGC4647 63 million lightyears.

On 3 and 4 April 2025 a total of 12 hours and 19 minutes was spent on this group of galaxies:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

The annotated versions can be found here and here.

On 23 April 2022 Messier 63 was on my list. Imaging was done with the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED APO and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera (see figure 19). Sadly enough weather deteriorated and this project never got further than 5 hours of data:

Processing done in APP, post-processing in Siril, PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

Messier 64, also known as Black Eye Galaxy, Sleeping Beauty Galaxy, Evil Eye Galaxy, or NGC 4826, is an isolated galaxy in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices at a distance of about 17.1 million light years from us. It was discovered by Edward Pigott in March 1779, and independently by Johann Elert Bode in April of the same year, as well as by Charles Messier the next year, who added to the well-known list of Messier objects.

Captured on 16 January 2025 with the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED, ZWO EFW with ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool, all unguided on the 10Micron GM3000HPS.

A total of only two hours and 40 minutes of data was collected:

Processing done in APP, post-processing in PSP, Siril and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

On 24, 25 and 26 February 2019 the combination of Messier 81 and Messier 82 were imaged with the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED APO and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera (see figure 22). They are better known as respectively Bode's Galaxy and the Cigar Galaxy. A total of 8 hours and 10 minutes of data was collected:

Processing done in APP, post-processing redone in 2022 using Siril, PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

M86 sits in the western end of Markarian's Chain that forms the Virgo Cluster and was the first galaxy, together with M84, of this cluster discovered by Charles Messier in 1781. The other galaxies were discovered by William Herschel. The cluster is located at a distance of 50-60 million lightyears from us in the direction of the constellation of Virgo.

A total of 6 hours and 59 minutes was spent on 26 March 2025 on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

The annotated versions can be found here and here.

On 8 and 9 March 2022 M94 was imaged using the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED. This galaxy has a distance of 16 million light-years from Earth in direction of the constellation Canes Venatici.

A total of 16 hours was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in Siril, PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

On 30 April and 2 March 2025 M99, also known as St. Catherine's Wheel or NGC4254, discovered by Pierre Méchain on 17 March 1781, was imaged using the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED. It is the blue spiral galaxy at the lower right in the image. M99 has a distance of 49 million light-years from Earth in direction of the constellation Coma Berenices.

At the left another blue galaxy (NGC4298 @ 53 million light-years, discovered by William Herschel on April 8, 1784) and the edge-on and reddish NGC4302 (55 million light-years, also discovered by Herschel) can be seen. At the upper right NGC4262 (a barred lenticular galaxy at 50 million light-years) and near the upper edge IC0781 (61 million light-years) can be found. Further in the background dozens of other galaxies can be seen (see the annotated version).

A total of 7 hours was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -15°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image. The annotated version can be found here.

On 30 April and 2 May 2025 M99, also known as NGC 4254 or St. Catherine's Wheel, was imaged using the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED. This galaxy has a distance of 45 million light-years from Earth in direction of the constellation Coma Berenices.

A total of 7 hours was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -15°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

The annotated versions can be found here

On 27 and 31 March 2025 M100, also known as the Föhn Galaxy, was imaged using the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED. This galaxy has a distance of 55 million light-years from Earth in direction of the constellation Coma Berenices.

A total of 12 hours and 24 minutes was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -15°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

The annotated versions can be found here

On 7, 8, 15, 20, 21 and 22 April 2019 Messier 101, better known as the Pinwheel Galaxy was imaged, using the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED APO and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera (see figure 28). A total of 17 hours and 20 minutes of data was collected:

In the end the lum data was disgarded in the processing, leaving still some 16 hours and 40 minutes of data to integrate, which was done in APP. Post-processing redone in 2022 in Siril, PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

On Friday 19 May 2023 supernova SN 2023ixf was detected in M101 by Koichi Itagaki, a Japanese amateur astronomer with a count of ‘only’ 105 supernova dicoveries.

On 27 May 2023 I decided to give M101 a try despite partial cloud-cover and short nights due to the northerly location of InFINNity Deck.

A total of 1 hour and 50 minutes of data was collected with the same set-up as in 2019, but now only in LRGB:

Click here for the full image.

During the night of 16 to 17 April 2021 I have been imaging a bunch of galaxies, of which M106 was the largest one (apparently that is). M106 can be found in the constellation Canes Venatici. This galaxy is shown here at the upper left and has a distance from Earth of 23 Mly, the other galaxies are NGC4217 (82 Mly), NGC4226 (391 Mly), NGC4231 (0.34 Gly), NGC4232 (0.33 Gly), NGC4248 (24 Mly).

Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz Denoise AI.

Click here for the full image.

During five nights in September 2020 I have been imaging three objects from the New General Catalogue: NGC6820 and NGC6823, and the one shown here, NGC660. This galaxy, shown here at the lower left, is an unique object in the known universe. It is a polar-ring galaxy that most likly is the result of two colliding galaxies. It is located at approximately 45 million light years in the constellation of Pisces. In the background dozens of other galaxies can be seen, the largest of which is IC148.

It was due to the low altitude of NGC660 at the start of the night and the low altitude of NGC6820/NGC6823 at the end that I decided to combine them.

A total of 669 subs were collected in LRGB, making the total integration time 16 hours and 15 minutes.

Processing in APP, post-processing redone in 2022 in Siril, PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

Click here for the annotated version (annotated with ASTAP).

The first two clear nights of the 2021-2022 imaging season were used to obtain data from NGC891, also known as Caldwell 23, the Silver Sliver Galaxy, and the Outer Limits Galaxy. NGC891 is part of the NGC 1023 group in the Local Supercluster in the constellation of Andromeda at a distance of 30 mly from Earth. In diameter NGC891 measures 60.000 lightyears.

A total of 12 hours and 44 minutes was spent on this galaxy:

Captured using NINA (first object captured with this software) with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP 1.078, post-processing redone in 2022 in Siril, PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image. An annotated version of the image shows the names of the other galaxies.

On 5 and 6 March 2025 I imaged NGC2403, an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis. It is also known as Caldwell 7 and is an outlying member of the M81 Group at approximately 8 million light-years distance. Like M33 it has numerous star-forming regions, but, with approximately 90,000 light-years, is somewhat larger in diameter.

Imaging was done in LHaRGB, a total of 15 hours and four minutes of data was collected for this galaxy:

Captured with the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -15°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz DeNoise AI.

Click here for the full image.

On 29 November 2024 and 27, 28, and 29 April 2025 this faint galaxy, NGC2460, an unbarred spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis, was imaged. It was discovered by German astronomer Wilhelm Tempel on August 11, 1882.

Imaging was done in LRGB using the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED, ZWO EFW with ZWO 36mm filters, and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool. A total of 23 hours and 9 minutes of data was collected for this rather faint galaxy:

Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz DeNoise AI.

Click here for the full image.

On 7 and 8 March 2024 NGC2685, better known as the Helix Galaxy, was imaged. It is a lenticular and polar ring Seyfert Type 2 galaxy, 50,000 light-years across, at a distance of 42 million light-years from Earth in the direction of Ursa Major.

Imaging was done in LRGB, a total of 16 hours and 52 minutes of data was collected for this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -10°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in Siril, PSP and Topaz DeNoise AI.

The image shown here is a crop, click here for the full image.

On 5 March 2021 NGC2903, a barred spiral galaxy in the direction of the constellation of Leo, was imaged. It was discovered by William Herschel and catalogued by him on 16 November 1784.

Imaging was done in LRGB, a total of five hours and two minutes of data was collected for this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in Siril, PSP and Topaz DeNoise AI.

Click here for the full image and here for the annotated version.

At approximately 40 million light-years from Earth, in the direction of the constellation Ursa Major, this spiral galaxy can be found.

Imaging was done on 24 and 27 March and 20 April 2022 using the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED, ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool and ZWO filters. Total integration time was 14 hours and 57 minutes:

Processing in APP, post-processing in Siril, PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

On 2 and 4 March 2025 the NGC3190, part of the Hickson 44 Group was imaged. It was discovered by William Herschel and catalogued by him in 1784.

Imaging was done in LRGB, a total of 13 hours and 14 minutes of data was collected for this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -15°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz DeNoise AI.

Click here for the full image and here for the by ASTAP annotated version.

While waiting for NGC7129 to get high enough in the sky in March 2020, I decided to fill the waiting time with taking subs from NGC3628, better known as the Hamburger Galaxy. NGC3628 is part of the Leo triplet in the constellation of Leo at a distance of 35 mly from Earth.

A total of 8 hours was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP 1.078, post-processed redone in 2022 in Siril, PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

See it in World Wide Telescope

On 17 February 2025 I imaged NGC 3718 and NGC 3729, two galaxies in the constellation of Ursa Major. With respectively 55.5 and 65 million light-years from Earth they seem unrelated, but it is thought that the shape of NGC3718 was caused by interaction between the two in the past. NGC3729 is a barred spiral galaxy, NGC3718 is either a lenticular or spiral galaxy. In the background more distant galaxies can be seen.

A total of 7 hours and 47 minutes was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -15°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP, Siril and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

The end of February and start of March 2022 was a period of several clear nights. On 27 February and 2 and 3 March I imaged NGC 4151 a galaxy at 52 million light-years from Earth in direction of the constellation Canes Venatici. It is an intermediate spiral Seyfert galaxy which we see head-on. To the upper-left of it a smaller galaxy, NGC 4156, can be seen. The distance to that galaxy is 311 million light-years.

A total of 24 hours and 41 minutes was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

NGC4216, also known as the Silver Streak Galaxy, is an intermediate spiral galaxy at a distance of 55 million lightyears from us in the direction of the constellation of Virgo and was discovered on 17 April 1784 by William Herschel.

A total of 12 hours and 18 minutes was spent on this galaxy on the nights of 1 and 3 April 2025:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

The annotated versions can be found here and here.

The 2021 imaging season started rather poor. After having imaged M29 on 7 en 8 September there have not been any further clear nights until the beginning of the second week of October. It were moonless nights on 8 and 9 October, so ideal for imaging galaxies and NGC4236 was selected for the job. The first night was perfectly clear throughout the night. Imaging was started rather late, but in the end I managed to collect 140 minutes luminance, 35 minutes red, 40 minutes green and 40 minutes blue. During the second night only one hour of luminance was acquired, after that thin stratus rolled in ruining the rest of the imaging session. The third night just over an hour of luminance was added. Finally on 28 October I managed to add several hours of Luminance to the stack.

A total of 10 hours and 54 minutes was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP 1.078, post-processing redone 2022 in Siril, PSP and Topaz DeNoise AI.

Click here for the full image.

The end of February and start of March 2022 was a period of several clear nights. On 26 February I decided to image NGC 4244, also known as Caldwell 26. It is an edge-on loose spiral galaxy at a distance of 14.1 million light-years in the constellation Canes Venatici.

A total of 8 hours was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

NGC4490, also known as the Cocoon Galaxy, is a barred spiral galaxy at a distance of 25 million light years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Canes Venatici.

A total of 11 hours and 24 minutes was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

NGC4559, also known as Caldwell 36 and the Koi Fish Galaxy, is a intermediate spiral galaxy at a distance of 29 million light years from Earth in the direction of the constellation of Coma Berenices.

A total of 8 hours was spent on this galaxy on 20 March 2025:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -15°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

While waiting for IC1396 to get high enough in the sky in February and March 2021, I decided to fill the waiting time with taking subs from NGC 4656, better known as the Hockey-stick Galaxy, and NGC 4631, better known as the Whale Galaxy. These two galaxies can be found between Canes Venatici and Coma Berenices.

A total of 3.5 hours was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

One of the objects imaged during the first clear period of 2024 was NGC5906, better known as the Knife Edge Galaxy or Splinter Galaxy. This galaxy lies at a distance of 50 million light-years in the direction of Draco and was discovered by William Herschel on 5 May 1788. A total of 11 hours and 12 minutes was spent on this galaxy on 11 and 27 January:

Captured with the SkyWatcher Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB and H-alpha filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -10°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP, Siril and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

On 11 and 14 October 2024 I decided to give NGC 6946, also known as the Fireworks Galaxy, a try. This galaxy lies between the northern constellations of Cepheus and Cygnus. Its distance from Earth is about 25.2 million light-years. A total of 9 hours and 42 minutes was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -15°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP, Siril and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.

At the last day of August 2022 the skies cleared unexpectedly. Having about 7 hours of imaging time available I decided to give NGC 7479, also known as Caldwell 44 or the Superman Galaxy, a try. This galaxy lies at a distance of 105 million light-years in the direction of Pegasus. Thanks to a few clear hours in the following night a total of 8 hours and 6 minutes was spent on this galaxy:

Captured with the Esprit 150ED in combination with the ZWO EFW filter wheel, ZWO LRGB filters and ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Cool camera @ -20°C. Processing in APP, post-processing in PSP, Siril and Topaz.

Click here for the full image.