NGC 7331

Pegasus · 13-14/8/15 & 17-18/8/2015 - 20:00 UTC · Officina Stellare Advanced RILA 400 f/5.25

About the target

NGC 7331 (also known as Caldwell 30) is a spiral galaxy about 40 million light-years (12 Mpc) away in the constellation Pegasus. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1784. NGC 7331 is the brightest member of the NGC 7331 Group of galaxies.

The galaxy is similar in size and structure to the galaxy we inhabit, and is often referred to as “the Milky Way’s twin”,although recent discoveries regarding the structure of the Milky Way may call this similarity into doubt.

In spiral galaxies the central bulge typically co-rotates with the disk but the bulge in the galaxy NGC 7331 is rotating in the opposite direction to the rest of the disk.[6] The current bulge may have formed from infalling material, however if it has been there since the formation of the galaxy then it would be difficult to explain how such a situation arose.

© Nikos Paschalis

Observing log

Object
NGC 7331 - Caldwell 30
Constellation
Pegasus
Distance + Ap. Magnitude
40 million Light years (12.2 Mpc) - 10.4
RA / DEC
22h:37m.04sec / +34° 24m.56sec
Date + Time
13-14/8/15 & 17-18/8/2015 - 20:00 UTC
Location
“Nunki Observatory” - Skiathos
Optics
Officina Stellare Advanced RILA 400 f/5.25
Tools
The Sky X
Camera
SBIG STXL11002 with FW8G-STXL (Astrodon filters)
Exposure Time
Luminance: 10 X 600sec RGB: 10 X 600sec
More Details
Environment Temperature: 28 °C Camera Temperature -25 °C
Mount
Paramount ME
Guiding
Self guided
Processing Details
Photoshop, Maxim
Notes
Weather: Clear - Transparence: Medium - Humidity: 55-70 %