NGC 3717 — Edge-on Hydra GalaxyNGC 3717 (magnitude +11.1, 6.2 x 2.0 arcmin) — is located in the Hydra constellation and situated approximately 60 million light-years away from Earth, NGC 3717 is a spiral galaxy with a diameter of around 65,000 light-years — about half the size of the Milky Way. With an apparent size of roughly 7.6 arcminutes, equivalent to approximately 1/4 the diameter of the full Moon, NGC 3717 is not an easy target to observe. While it is a rare subject on AstroBin, a Hubble Version from the ESA site,
A Spiral in Profile, provides a glimpse of the galaxy's central portion. The Hubble image is also featured on the NASA site,
NGC 3717: A Nearly Sideways Spiral Galaxy.
IC 2913 — The Blueberry Blasphemy: A Close Encounter with Extraterrestrial RetributionIC 2913 (magnitude 13.8, 1.0 x 0.8 arcmin) — is an odd-looking lenticular galaxy, which resembles a
blueberry.
The powerful overlords from IC 2913 have dispatched a squadron of heavily-armed spaceships, hurtling through the vast expanse of space towards Earth. Their mission: to seek retribution for humanity's blasphemous act of regarding blueberries as a mere delicacy. With their advanced technology and formidable weapons, these extraterrestrial beings will stop at nothing to ensure that their sacred beliefs are respected. The skies darken as the armada approaches, and the fate of Earth hangs in the balance. It is a stark reminder that even the smallest actions can have significant consequences when it comes to the complex relationships between civilizations, and that we must tread carefully in our interactions with other beings from the universe.
Baffling Problem and SolutionThe RC10 data was affected by light ingress due to the presence of several bright stars in the vicinity, a
well-known issue with GSO Ritchey-Chretien telescopes. I had to crop the frame to avoid the worst ingress. However, this problem can be addressed by 3D printing an extension of the baffle, see
Thingiverse 5174299. After printing and installing the baffle extension, the difference was remarkable — light ingress was eliminated and calibration flats improved significantly. This encourages me to revisit the object and obtain cleaner data.
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