Markarian's Chain area of the Coma-Virgo galaxy cluster, with M84 and M86 at top and M87 at bottom left. Includes the Eyes, NGC 4435 and 4438. This is a stack of 6 x 5 minute exposures with the 92mm TMB apo refractor and Borg 0.85x reducer/flattener for f/4.5, and Canon 7D at ISO 800. Taken April 24, 2011.
The large, naked-eye star cluster that makes up most of the constellation of Coma Berenices, aka Mel 111. This is a wide view to simulate the field of binoculars. The galaxies NGC 4565 (left) and NGC 4559 (top left) are visible, as is NGC 4494 between the sliver-like NGC 4565 and the main star cluster. I shot this in deep twilight and retained some of the natural deep blue of the twilight from the earlier shots. The differences in star colours show up. The diffraction spikes are from the lens iris blades from being stopped down to f/4 from the maximum aperture of f/2.8. This is a stack of 7 exposures, each 4 minutes at f/4 with the 200mm Canon lens and Canon 6D MkII at ISO 800, unguided on the AP Mach 1 mount.
The trio of Messier galaxies, M98, M99, and M100 near the star 6 Comae Berenices along with fainter NGC galaxies. The face-on spiral M100 is at top right; the edge-on spiral M98 is at lower right; the face-on spiral M99, the Coma Pinwheel, is at bottom. The pair of galaxies to the left of M99 is NGC 4298 and NGC 4302. This is a stack of 7 x 5-minute exposures with the SharpStar HNT150 Hyperbolic Newtonian astrograph at f/2.8 and Canon EOS Ra camera at ISO 800.
