An astrophotographer spent 32 hours capturing the distant galaxy M106
By ForGeeks A photographer specializing in astronomical images, Ron Brecher, has shared a new image of the spiral galaxy M106. The object, located 23.5 million light-years from our planet in the constellation Hound Dog, was captured from more than 32 hours of observations between March 27 and April 17, 2025.
The galaxy in question is classified as a Seyfert galaxy. Its active center, which stands out in red hues, hides a supermassive black hole actively absorbing surrounding matter. Brecher’s image also shows the nearby galaxy NGC 4248, characterized by pink regions where new stars are forming, as well as many distant galaxies that look like fuzzy patches of light.
Galaxy M106 is not bright enough to be seen without specialized instruments, but it is an attractive object to observe even in a small telescope. However, more powerful equipment will be needed to study its delicate structures in detail. Ron Brecher used a Celestron 14 EDGE HD telescope with a relative aperture of f/11 (focal length 3912 mm) in combination with a QHY600M camera.
To search for M106 in the northern hemisphere, you should focus on the constellation Big Dipper. The galaxy sits roughly midway between the star Alcaide, which is at the end of the handle of the dipper, and the less bright star Psi.
The galaxy is located approximately midway between the star Alcaide, which is at the end of the handle of the dipper, and the less bright star Psi.
The Astrophotographer spends 32 hours capturing the distant galaxy M106 was first published on ITZine.ru.
