Eyes Wide Shut - The Markarian Bridge Up Close

Image Title: Eyes Wide Shut - The Markarian Bridge Up Close

Copyright: Timothy Martin

Date image was taken: July 10, 2025

Location: Deep Sky West Remote Observatory near Santa Fe

Data Acquisition Method: Personal Telescope Setup

Description and Details: Shot over two years with more than 400 hours of exposure time (280 hours of that Ha), the goal here was to capture as much detail of the collision-induced Ha bridge between The Eyes (NGCs 4435 & 4438) and M86.

Total integration: 400h 18m

Integration per filter:
- Lum/Clear: 45h (900 × 180")
- R: 25h 15m (505 × 180")
- G: 25h 3m (501 × 180")
- B: 25h (500 × 180")
- Hα: 280h

Equipment:
- Telescope: Takahashi TOA-130
- Camera: Moravian Instruments C5A-100M
- Mount: 10Micron GM2000 HPS II
- Filters: Chroma Blue 50x50 mm, Chroma Green 50x50 mm, Chroma H-alpha 3nm Bandpass 50x50 mm, Chroma Lum 50x50 mm, Chroma Red 50x50 mm

Name: Timothy Martin

Website or Facebook Profile: http://www.astrobin.com/users/AccidentalAstronomers/