Figure 1 – NGC 1398 iTelescope T73 (c) DE Wolf 2024
It is spring, friends! The time change has passed and the sunsets later and they lead to warmer nights. I am at present trying to get trying to get my big eight inch Nexstar up and properly running so that I can finally do some planet observing.
Also, I have been venturing out to the wildlife refuges again. And I hope to have some good bird photographs for you again. This weekend I am going to Plum Island in search of white owls and piping plovers. Wish me luck
Figure 1 today is of the dramatic NGC 1398 galaxy and was taken using itelescope T73 in Rio Hurtado, Chile just at the start of the New Year. As a reminder this is a 0.50-m f/6.8 reflector with a 26.93′ x 21.53’arc-mins FOV. 3 images with each RGB filtration of 120 sec each. I am really pleased with how the image came out. I see this and then remember that in my youth my telescope was a 60 mm Unitron Refractor! Times change.
NGC 1398 is a spectacular even majestic galaxy, standing out for its impressive structure and vibrant features. Located in the constellation Fornax, NGC 1398 it is what is referred to as a barred spiral galaxy. A barred galaxy is a type of spiral galaxy characterized by a distinct, elongated central bar-shaped structure made of stars. This bar runs through the galaxy’s nucleus and extends outward, from which the spiral arms of the galaxy typically emerge. The presence of this central bar distinguishes barred spiral galaxies from unbarred spiral galaxies, where the spiral arms directly emerge from the central bulge without a bar-like feature.
NGC1398 was first discovered by the famous astronomer William Herschel in 1835, and it is situated approximately 65 million light-years away from Earth. This stunning galaxy is part of the Fornax Cluster, a rich collection of galaxies that offers a wealth of astronomical discoveries. NGC 1398 is notable not only for its size and composition but also for the intricate spiral arms that define its shape.
In addition to the spiral arms, the galaxy is also surrounded by a faint, extended halo of stars that is common among many galaxies. This halo is made up of older stars and provides valuable insights into the galaxy’s formation history.
The central bulge of NGC 1398 is another fascinating aspect of its structure. This bulge is thought to contain a supermassive black hole, a feature that is often found in the centers of large galaxies. This black hole likely plays a key role in the galaxy’s dynamics and may even influence the formation of the spiral arms.
It is, I think, a curious point that when it comes to astrophotography for the sake of astrophotography, as oppose to astrophotography for scientific purposes, I haven’t graduated to that yet, we are drawn to certain objects because of artistic features. NGC 1398 with the delicate structure of its spiral arms in such an appealing object.