Abell 1367
24" Cassegrain.
R=300s, G=300s, B=300s, L=300s.
edited in FITS Liberator
February 2008
The Leo Cluster (Abell 1367) is a galaxy cluster about 330 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. Along with the Coma Cluster, it is one of the two major clusters comprising the Coma Supercluster
NGC 5194/NGC 5195
24" Cassegrain.
R=300s, G=300s, B=300s, L=300s.
edited in FITS Liberator
February 2008
Quote:
NGC 5194 is the Whirlpool Galaxy, one of the nearest and most spectacular of
the giant spirals. It has the distinction of being one of the first to be
recognized as a spiral by Lord Rosse with his 72-inch reflector.
It is also the first of two galaxies comprising Messier 51; the second is
NGC 5195. Unlike M76 (= NGC 650/651), Messier noticed that this object was
in fact a pair.
The two galaxies are interacting -- with interesting results for both.
N5194's "grand-design" spiral pattern probably owes its existence to N5195,
while N5195 itself has dust lanes from the outer arm of N5194 superposed on
its generally amorphous structure. Plumes and an irregular corona around
N5195 are also the result of the interaction.
Finally, the two galaxies may be in the process of merging. Some billions of
years hence, observers may well see only a single, giant elliptical galaxy
where we currently have a pair of the most magnificent extragalactic objects
in the sky. - Dr. Harold G. Corwin, Jr.
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