SMALL MEGALLANIC CLOUD - PARTIAL VIEW

Tucana

(ra: 0:58.2/ dec -72:50)

January 20th 2009, taken from Mercedes Buenos Aires Province

DATA

TYPE: Irregular Galaxy

VISUAL BRIGHTNESS: 2.3

APPARENT DIMENSION: 280 x 160 arc minutes

IMAGE FIELD OF VIEW: 97 x 69 arc minutes

DISTANCE: 210.000 light years

OBJECT DESCRIPTION

The SMC is an irregular galaxy type. It might be distorted by the gravitational forces of our Milky Way and the LMC. Interesting to see a variety of extra galactic objects  like nebulae and star clusters which can be reached through amateurs telescopes. Despite its high magnitude the cloud is not visible through binoculars from my backyard in Martinez (30 km north Buenos Aires). I can glimpse NGC 104 but no single feature of the galaxy. However in clears skies is a joy for the naked eye.

The SMC and LMC were certainly known through ages by the southerners. It became known to the world when Fernando de Magallanes went on his journey around the world in 1519.

IMAGE INFORMATION

SCOPE: William Optics ZenithStar 66, WO 0.8 Compressor riding in a LXD 75 Mount

SKY CONDITIONS: rural skies, Seeing 3 arcs seconds, Transparency good. Windy night

CAMERA: Starlight Xpress SXVF H9 @f 4.8

FILTERS: Astronomik Ha 6 nm, Type II, Atik Filter Wheel

IMAGE ACQUISITION: AstroArt 3.0, CCD Control Interface 3.72

EXPOSURES: LHaRGB (10,20,10,10,10)

PROCESSED: Calibrated (no darks, no flats, no offsets) in ImagesPlus. Digital Development in ImagesPlus,  CCD Sharp, Photoshop CS