Astrophotographer Joel Martin captured a magnificent vision of the Bode Galaxy in February 2025 Duration The Annual Sky Dark Sky Festival held at the Death Valley National Park in California.
The frames used to create Martin’s galactic portrait were captured on the night of February 21 using a 150 mm F/4 Newtonian telescope connected to an Astrophotography Chamber SIO533 with the capacity for an Astrophotography House SIO533 with capacity for a single exposure without the need for filters.
The Bode Galaxy has an apparent magnitude of +6.94, which makes it one of the brightest visible galaxies in the northern hemisphere. Martin was able to get exquisite details in the Grand Spiral Galaxy when executing a set of 18 separate exhibitions of 300 seconds, which were then stacked and prosecuted postsed using the Pixensight Astrophotography software.
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The final result is an impressive M81 view that highlights the active regions that form stars embedded in the spiral arms of the galaxy, whose light has traveled for 11.6 million light years before running head in the Martin telescope. The prominent core of the Messenger galaxy also shines intensely with the light of the oldest and most saved stars in this shot, which orbit a monstrous supermassive black hole that is estimated to have a mass the equivalent of 15 times greater than that of Milky Wayitarius a*.
April turns out to be the best month to see the Messenger galaxy, so why not leave and try to detect it? It can track M81 locating the great asterism of Dipper in the constellation of Ursa Major, which is a great overload at this time of the year in the northern hemisphere, and participates in a small jump of stars.
First, locate the brilliant Phecda of Star and draw an imaginary diagonal line of this star through Dubhe, which is located on the ‘spill tip’ or the bowl of the big tray.
Continue this line out for the same distance that it touches to cross the bowl, and you will find the sky patch that contains Messenger galaxy.
Remember, M81 is invisible to the naked eye. However, As NASA explains It can be seen through a good pair or binocularary as a spot of light, with the galaxy M82 in a narrower cigar form also within the frame, but a small telescope is needed to solve the bright galactic nucleus and the elegant and elegant spiral.
If you want to try to find the Bode Galaxia for yourself, why not take advantage of our guides that detail the Best binocular offers and Best telescope offers Available this year. Our guides in the The best camera for astrophotography and The best astrophotography lenses You can also help you prepare to capture the next Skygatching view.
