IC 342, often called the Hidden Galaxy, lies just 10 million light-years away in the constellation Camelopardalis. Despite its proximity, it is shrouded behind the dense dust of the Milky Way, making it challenging to observe. Its sprawling spiral arms emerge faintly through the obscuring dust, revealing star-forming regions and the complex structure of this nearby galaxy.

This image was captured under dark Bortle-class skies in West Texas using a ROCS 16-inch Ruggedized Military telescope and a QHY600m camera. Careful calibration and long-exposure imaging allowed the faint details of this hidden neighbor to emerge from the galactic foreground, unveiling its subtle luminosity and structure.

Image Description and Details :

IC 342 or the Hidden Galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis gets its name due to its location in the dusty areas near the Milky Way galactic equator.This image was obtained thought a Meade LX850 12" telescope with QHY268m camera and Chroma filters.Integration time is 12.50 hours (Lum 53x300", Red 24x300", Green 24x300", Blue 24x300" & Ha 12x600")

Copyright: Fabian Rodriguez Frustaglia