DROGENBERG

Last night was very dark and clear! at last we could enjoy with 8 observers the transparant winter sky, dominated by Jupiter as a blinding beakon completing the winter hexagon.

The Milky Way crossed the whole sky streaming wide left from Orion and Canis Major.

While imaging, I could observe some naked eye objects: M31, M42, M35, M45 (:-), M41, M44 NGC752 (Triangulum). But also – as a first – M33, the large and dim spiral galaxy in Triangulum. For years I’ve been searching for this object – naked eye, but never could confirm it’s visibility. With severe averted vision (actually focusing on the center of Triangulum) it was confirmed and at that point rather easy to see.

SQM Measurement was 21,40

Jean re-processed the set of subs and retained 341 or 75% of the 2-minute subs.

The result is very impressive and offers a view on all nebulosity that surrounds the galaxy but also hides it from being very bright. This galaxy is very large and would fit within a half Moon. So the surface brightness is rather low, which makes it easy for the IFn and Milky Way nebulosity to dim it even further.

The image displays a wealth of information, not only IFN patches everywhere, but also galaxies and H-Alpha nebulosity to the right of the galaxy.

IC342 Processing: Jean Data: Joost 341x120s with EDPH76mm F 4.5 Sharpstar ASI2600MC UV/IR

The bright nebulosity was not the intention of the processing. Apparently the brightness of the image shifted when the original TIF was saved as a JPG under Windows Photo software.

When starting from a PNG, the saved JPG did not brighten. This was the original intended result:

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A very clear night in Grandpré

IC342 re-processed by Jean Lammertyn