Galaxy in Ursa Major
NGC 3077 is a member of a relatively nearby group of galaxies that includes the well-known pair, Messier 81 and 82. It is classified as a peculiar galaxy because although it is elliptical in form, it has many thin branching dust clouds and an active nucleus. These unusual features may be the result of gravitational interactions with Messier 81 and 82.
This image is based on 30 hours of luminance exposures, by far the most I have used for any single image. I did this to see what magnitude I could reach with my equipment. The limiting magniude of this image is about 25.5, making it the "deepest" image I have obtained.
| Magnitude | 10.6 |
| Apparent Size | 5.4' x 4.5' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 12.8 million |
| Right Ascension | 10:03.3 |
| Declination | +68 44 |
Image details: Exposure times of 1800 minutes luminance and 60 minutes each of red, green, and blue, taken with an SBIG ST-8300M imager and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/6.
February-March 2017