NGC 253 - Galaxy in Sculptor
Copyright 2001 Hap Griffin
One of the brighter galaxies visible to us, NGC 253 belongs to the Sculptor group...the next door neighbor to our own Local Group of galaxies, which includes our own Milky Way. With an apparent diameter of almost one half degree (the size of the full moon), it is readily visible in small telescopes.
NGC 253 lies at a distance of 8 million light years.
Date/Location:
October 15, 2001 Griffin/Hunter
Observatory Bethune, SC
Instrument: Meade f6.3 10" LX-200
Focal Ratio: Approx. f4 (utilizing focal reducer in GEG)
Guiding: ST4 through ST-80 w/ 2X Barlow
Conditions: Visually clear
Weather: 45 F, calm
Film: Kodak Elite Chrome 200
Exposure: Composite of two exposures: 1 x 37 minutes, 1 x 30
minutes
Filters: None
Processing: Combined in Registar 1.0, finished in Photoshop 5