M101 (Pinwheel)
M101 is a large galaxy, with a diameter of 170,000 light-years. By comparison, the Milky Way has a diameter of between 100,000 and 120,000 light-years. It has around a trillion stars. It has a disk mass on the order of 100 billion solar masses, along with a small central bulge of about 3 billion solar masses. Its characteristics can be compared to those of Andromeda Galaxy.
M101 has a high population of H II regions, many of which are very large and bright. H II regions usually accompany the enormous clouds of high density molecular hydrogen gas contracting under their own gravitational force where stars form. H II regions are ionized by large numbers of extremely bright and hot young stars; those in M101 are capable of creating hot superbubbles. In a 1990 study, 1,264 H II regions were cataloged in the galaxy
M101 is asymmetrical due to the tidal forces from interactions with its companion galaxies. These gravitational interactions compress interstellar hydrogen gas, which then triggers strong star formation activity in M101's spiral arms
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60 hours of integration
From 30% Wanning moon to 30% waxing
Bortle 4
Average RMS .5
Seeing: Good (Most Nights)
89x300s B
90X300s G
80X300S R
185X300s H
278X300s L
Main Scope: REDCAT 71
Guide Scope: William Optics 31mm Mini
Main Camera: ZWO 183 MM Pro
Guide Camera: 120mm Mini
Mount: GEM 45
Filter Wheel: ZWO 7 position 2inch EFW
Filters ZWO LRGB 7nm HA
Computer: ASI AIR PRO
Focuser: ZWO EAF
Editing: PIXINSIGHT
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