Observation by Paul Whitmarsh: NGC 3079 and Double Quasar QSO 0957 +561...

Uploaded by

Paul Whitmarsh

Observer

Paul Whitmarsh

Observed

2026 Feb 17 - 00:00

Uploaded

2026 Mar 30 - 21:54

Objects

NGC3079
QSO 0957+651
NGC3073

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Constellation

Ursa Major

Field centre

RA: 10^h02^m
Dec: +55°40'
Position angle: +89°35'

Field size

1°13' × 0°39'

Equipment

Seestar S50

Exposure

30 second integrations 5h27m 30s

Location

Mileaway Observatory

Target name

QSO 0957 +561 A/B

Title

NGC 3079 and Double Quasar QSO 0957 +561 A/B

About this image

A target discovered in the first volume of the Visual Mysteries of the Universe, the double quasar. I knew that the Seestar S50 would easily reach 16mag, but could it resolve both components of the gravitationally lensed quasar.

For an answer to the question, zoom in on the object marked by the red lines marking the quasar's position.

The quasar is Magnitude 16.7 and 8.7 Billion Light years distant.

Image taken over two nights in February 2026 (17th and 25th), using 30 second exposures. Stacked in Siril and processed in Pixinsight.

Files associated with this observation

NGC_3079_655_DoubleQuaser_x30sec_5h27m30s_T11C_2026-02-16 - rotate.jpg (726.0 kB)

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