Observation by Alan Thomas: NGC6166 Elliptical Galaxy in Hercules

Uploaded by

Alan Thomas

Observer

Alan Thomas

Observed

2022 Aug 05 - 22:11

Uploaded

2022 Aug 06 - 13:11

Objects

NGC6166

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Constellation

Hercules

Field centre

RA: 16^h28^m
Dec: +39°32'
Position angle: +45°49'

Field size

0°24' × 0°18'

Equipment

Unistellar eQuinox 112mm reflector

Exposure

25min

Location

Norbreck Observatory, Warrington, Cheshire, UK.

Target name

NGC6166 Elliptical Galaxy in Hercules

Title

NGC6166 Elliptical Galaxy in Hercules

About this image

This remote, faint, visually small elliptical galaxy in Hercules barely registers, even after a 25-minute exposure. But with only 112mm of aperture at work, I consider myself lucky to have seen anything at all. Despite appearances, this is a supermassive elliptical (absolute mag -24.1) which is believed to harbour 39,000 globular clusters in its halo - an exceptional number - and a supermassive black hole at its centre. So not such an insignificant object as it might appear.

The image is also peppered with miniscule faint galaxies.

Distance c.490million ly. Apparent mag. 12.78. Apparent size <2'.

Bortle 7/8, light high cloud, no Moon.

Files associated with this observation

eVscope-20220805-221109 (2).jpg (691.7 kB)

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Callum Potter

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