This superb wide-field image reveals a fascinating concentration of galaxies located in the constellation Canes Venatici, approximately 60 million light-years from Earth. Among the celestial protagonists of this deep field are NGC 4145, NGC 4151, and NGC 4156, alongside a multitude of more distant galaxies that dot the sky like a veritable carpet of extragalactic stars.

NGC 4151 — The Star of the Field
Sometimes nicknamed the "mini-Quasar," NGC 4151 is one of the most studied active Seyfert galaxies. Its nucleus is particularly luminous due to the presence of a supermassive black hole of approximately 40 million solar masses, which is currently engulfing matter. This process generates intense radiation that extends from the radio to X-ray range. Located approximately 62 million light-years away, NGC 4151 is often considered a natural laboratory for the study of active galactic nuclei (AGN).

NGC 4145 — A Disturbed Spiral
Slightly lower in the image, NGC 4145, a barred spiral galaxy, can be seen face-on, with its arms slightly distorted by gravitational interactions. This irregular structure could be the result of past encounters with small satellite galaxies. Located approximately 45 million light-years away, it harbors star formation activity in its arms, which is indicated by a bluish hue.

NGC 4156 — Small but Not Inconspicuous
Right next to NGC 4151, the small NGC 4156 is an elliptical or lenticular galaxy. Although it appears modest in size, it is likely part of a group of interacting galaxies. Its diffuse halo indicates a turbulent history, potentially marked by minor mergers with other galaxies.

NGC 4236 is a faint, barred spiral galaxy nestled within the constellation Draco, approximately 11.7 million light-years from Earth. Though less luminous than many of its spiral cousins, this galaxy stretches impressively across nearly 200,000 light-years—making it even larger than the Milky Way. Its low surface brightness and diffuse structure make it a challenging target for astrophotography, especially from less-than-pristine skies, but those who capture it are rewarded with delicate filaments of star-forming regions and hints of graceful spiral arms.

Classified as an intermediate spiral, NGC 4236 resides in the M81 galaxy group but appears to have evolved in relative isolation, which may explain its subdued appearance and scattered star clusters. Within its softly glowing disk, regions of H-alpha emission betray sites of ongoing stellar birth, offering insight into how galaxies can sustain slow but steady star formation even in quieter cosmic neighborhoods.

Image Description and Details :

Barnard 150, also known as the Hippocampus Nebula, is a dark molecular cloud of dust in the constellation Cepheus located about 1,200 light years away.

This molecular cloud is part of our galaxy and it is one of 182 objects cataloged by astronomer Edward E. Barnard.On the right side of the image, we can see part of the squid nebula (OU4) (red signal).

Copyright: Thomas LELU

Image Description and Details :

This cosmic pillar stretches for approximately 1,400 light years along the northern part of the Milky Way, in the constellation Cepheus. Near the edge of the large molecular cloud, pockets of dust block all light from the stars in the background or weaken the light of the brightest star at the top, this star giving the nebula its characteristic blue color.At the bottom right of the image is a planetary nebula LBN 538 (red / blue). Discovered in 1979 and first described in an article in 1980 by Dengel, Hartl and Weinberger.ASA Newton 250/950 F3.6Paramount MyTZWO ASI2400MC à -10°C + rotateur ArteskyIDAS LPS-P3 et IDAS NBZ Nebula BoostSkywatcher Evostar72ED + ASI120MM miniTheSkyX pro, MaxPilot, FocusMax, AstroPixel Processor, PixInsight, Photoshop44h5' (68x 900” Filtre NBZ, 83x300" et 121x600" Filtre LPS-P3)Lorraine, France31 August, 1er, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 et 8 September 2021

Copyright: Thomas LELU

Image Description and Details : ASA10"Paramount MyTCanon RaTotal exposure : 31hrs78x60" ISO400311x300" ISO80045x300" ISO1600AstroPixelProcessor Pixinsight and Photoshop.



Copyright: Thomas LELU