NGC 1566

 SPIRAL & FACE ON GALAXY IN DORADO (THE DOLPHINFISH)

AKA THE SPANISH DANCER GALAXY

(Image centered at: ra 04h:20 m / dec -54º 56')

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February 2023, Observatorio Cielos Albertnos, Buenos Aires, Argentina

DATA

TYPE: Barred Galaxy

APPARENT DIAMETER: 8.2 x 6.5 arc minutes

APPARENT MAGNITUDE (V): 9.74

DISTANCE: 69 Millions light years

IMAGE INFORMATION

INSTRUMENT: 8" ORION OPTICS UK (Ultra Grade Optics) w/Televue Paracorr working at at f5,75

CAMERA: QSI 583 WS

MOUNT: SKY WATCHER NEQ6, OAG with Starlight Xpress Lodestar

FILTERS: Baader LRGB Set

SKY CONDITIONS: Bortle 2 skies

EXPOSURES: LRGB (120,40,40,40)

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

NGC 1566 is the brightest member of a nearby galaxy group in Dorado and is at a distance of about 69 million light years. It has beautifully symmetrical, tightly-wound spiral arms, which on deep images appear to almost encircle the galaxy. This striking object is also of interest because it has a very luminous nucleus which has many of the characteristics of a quasar, though it is much less energetic. Galaxies of this type are known as Seyfert galaxies, after Carl Seyfert who first recognized their peculiar nature in 1943.

The active region at the centre of NGC 1566 is extremely compact. Spectra show that hot gas near the tiny nucleus is moving at an abnormally high velocity, usually an indication that it may be in orbit around a massive black hole at the heart of NGC 1566.

By the 2023 summer Buenos Aires interior is suffering from the "la niña effect" and consequently we had dry fields over the pampas. North winds brought some dust into de atmosphere and also affected the guiding on the NEQ6 loosing a bit of resolution.

Among our astrophotographers community down under, this galaxy is also known as the "Bellocchio Galaxy" being Ezequiel Bellocchio one of the firsts imagers who brought this galaxy up, some years ago when it was a not so popular object.

NGC 1566

 SPIRAL & FACE ON GALAXY IN DORADO (THE DOLPHINFISH)

ANNOTATED IMAGE AT 100% RESOLUTION