Capturing "Mirach’s Ghost" (NGC 404) from Mars Hill, NC—a delicate dwarf galaxy hiding directly in the brilliant glare of the red giant star Mirach.

My first Winter Star Party delivered a week of clear, cool Florida Keys skies and 10 hours on M101. Captured in HaLRGB at f/3.8, this Pinwheel Galaxy image blends fast optics with careful PixInsight processing.

Messier 63 – The Sunflower Galaxy
First Attempt | Captured Under Bortle 2–3 Skies, April 2025

I set my sights on one of the great face-on spiral galaxies in our night sky—Messier 101, also known as the Pinwheel Galaxy.

While sky conditions were not as pristine as during my Leo Triplet session, the dual-scope approach again proved invaluable, allowing for a detailed, high-contrast representation of this stunning galaxy.

The Sculptor Galaxy is often overshadowed by more famous spirals like Andromeda or the Triangulum Galaxy, but it’s a fascinating target in its own right.

I captured 10.5 hours of data with 5-minute subs. Using an Apertura Carbon Star Fast Newtonian and my ZWO 2600 Duo OSC camera, I focused on pulling out the rich detail hidden within this iconic spiral galaxy.

M51, also known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, graces the night sky as a stunning spiral galaxy duo located in the constellation Canes Venatici.

This composite image of M33, the Triangulum Galaxy, utilizes luminance (L), hydrogen alpha (Ha), and red, green, blue (RGB) filters to unravel the celestial tapestry of this spiral marvel

This composite image of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) showcases the stunning beauty and intricate details of this neighboring spiral galaxy. Combining LRGB data with the added Hydrogen-Alpha (Ha) channel, this image provides a comprehensive view of M31, emphasizing the regions within the galaxy where hydrogen gas is actively emitting light at the specific Ha wavelength.