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Messier 108 (M108) is a barred spiral galaxy located 46 million light years away, in the constellation Ursa Major. This galaxy has a bright core but no apparent bulge. It is seen nearly edge on (its plane is tilted 75 degrees with our line of sight). Its dust lanes are easily visible in this image, as well as some HII regions. This galaxy is (angularly) very close to another Messier object: M97. It has a central black hole with an estimated mass of 24 million solar masses (about eight times the one in the center of the Milky Way).
Additional Information
Object
Name(s): Messier 108. M108. NGC 3556. The Surfboard Galaxy.
Type: Barred Spiral Galaxy, Type SB(s)cd
RA: 11h 11m 28s
Dec: +55º 40’ 26”
Constellation: Ursa Major
Size (arcmin): 8.6×2.3 arcmin
Magnitude: +10.1
Distance: 46 Mly
Image
Date: 2022-01-09 to 2022-01-27
Location: Curiosity2 Observatory, New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, NM, USA
Size (arcmin): 18×15 arcmin
Telescope: 24” (61 cm) f/6.5 Reflector
Camera: FLI PL16803 (4096x4096pix)
Guiding: Astrodon MonsterMOAG off-axis guider
Total exposure: 15h 40m (L: 6h 40m; RGB: 3h each)
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CC 2022