Object: The Sombrero Galaxy (M104)
Date: 5/04/05
Location: Texas Star Party - Ft. Davis, TX 
Telescope: Meade 10" LX200 (f/6.3)
Guiding: SC1 modified webcam and GuideDog
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel (300D) @ Prime Focus
Exposure: 18x4min, ISO-800, 55-60 degrees
Processing: Raw (non-linear) conversion to 16bit TIFF then calibration and stacking (sigma clipped average) in ImagesPlus.  Levels and curves were adjusted in Photoshop.  A light Gaussian blur filter was applied to the saturated core to soften the effect. 
Comments: This beautiful edge-on spiral galaxy is located near the constellation Corvus (The Crow) at an estimated distance of 40 million lys.  Note the prominent dust lane running through the center.  We had rough weather at TSP this year and this image was captured on a night of high humidity, passing clouds, and intermittent fog.  Thank goodness for dew heaters.  

© Dave Dockery 2005