Date: October - November 2021

Exposure:
LPS-D3: 185 x 3 minutes (9h 15min)
L-eXtreme: 24 x 5 minutes (2h 0min)


About This Image

Gear:

Telescope: Sky-Watcher Equinox 12ED
Mount: Software Bisque Paramount MX
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC-Pro
Filter: IDAS LPS-D3 2" • Optolong L-eXtreme 2"
Accessories: ESATTO 2" Focuser • Sky-Watcher 0.85 FR/FF
Guiding: SBIG ST-I Guide Kit
Software: Photoshop • PixInsight • TheSkyX • Starkeeper Voyager • Topaz DeNoise

Description:

The Triangulum Galaxy, also known as M33, is a distant and fascinating member of the Local Group, a cluster of galaxies that includes the Milky Way and Andromeda. Located approximately 3 million light-years away in the constellation Triangulum, it is the third-largest galaxy in the Local Group, with a diameter of approximately 60,000 light-years. Despite its distance, the Triangulum Galaxy has been extensively studied by astronomers, who have uncovered a range of intriguing features, including a central bar, spiral arms studded with bright nebulae and young stars, and regions of dense gas and dust that may be on the cusp of forming new star clusters.

Recent studies have revealed several surprising findings about the Triangulum Galaxy, such as an unusually high number of young, hot stars for a galaxy of its size. This has led some astronomers to speculate that it may have undergone a recent burst of star formation, possibly triggered by a collision or interaction with another galaxy. Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that the Triangulum Galaxy is interacting with its nearest neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy. If this is true, it could have significant implications for the future evolution of both galaxies, potentially leading to dramatic changes in their morphology, star formation rates, and other key properties. Despite its distance, the Triangulum Galaxy remains a fascinating object of study for astronomers and stargazers alike.

Distance: 3.2 Million light-years
Size: 61,000 light-years



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Annotated Version




Location in the Night Sky



(Annotation & Star Chart created using PixInsight)

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All Images    Craig Sherris