Messier 83, The Southern Pinwheel, Barred Spiral Galaxy in the constellation Hydra.

 

Messier 83 NGC 5236. Coast Robotic Telescope, Mount Teide, Tenerife. Data Credit:: Open Observatories, telescope .org, Open University. Image Credit Pip Stakkert.

"Sadly, this magnificent face on barred galaxy is too low and below our southern horizon in Lowestoft. The COAST telescope being located at high altitude and at a much lower northern latitude can however image it and here at the JPO, Pip Stakkert had fun processing the data

The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, at a distance of 15 million light years is one of the brightest and closest barred galaxies to the Milky Way. 

There is plenty of star birth going on in the galaxy's spiral arms and there have been supernova recorded in this galaxy in recent times.

The above image shows a face on view of a galaxy that measures 118,000 light years across". - Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Bright Nebulae in the Northern Hemisphere Winter Sky

 

IC405 The Flaming Star Nebula
in the constellation Auriga.
 Seestar S30, 660x10 sec exposures
 F5 and f=150mm.
Credit: Kurt Thrust

The Running Man Nebular NGC 1977 and
 the Great Orion Molecular Cloud Messier 42.
Seestar S30, 660x10 sec exposures
 F5 and f=150mm. 
Credit: Joel Cairo

Messier 78 or NGC 2068 is a reflection nebula in the constellation Orion. Data Credit: COAST Robotic telescope BVR filters, Mount Teide Tenerife, telescope.org,
 Open Observatories, Open University. Image Credit: Pip Stakkert.

" Messier 42, the 'Great Orion Nebula', is the only one of the above, which may be seen with the naked eye or even better in binoculars. It is visible as a hazy blob within Orion's Dagger, which hangs down from the band of three stars known as Orion's belt. At this time of year the Constellation is visible from the Northern Hemisphere striding above the southern horizon. The Nebula is a nearby stellar nursery where new stars are forming from the gravitational collapse of cold hydrogen gas. Very young and intensely bright stars may be seen in our image in the bright central area, which is named the 'Trapezium'. M 42 is 1350 light years distant so when I said 'nearby' this was in 'astronomer speak'.

IC495, the 'Flaming Star Nebula' is both an emission and reflection nebula but is not visible to the naked eye. It is however, possible to see the irregular variable star AE Aurigae, which shines at its centre, with binoculars. 

Messier 78 is a reflection nebula located within the constellation but sadly is invisible to the naked eye. Gas and dust in this area reflect the ultra violet light generated by nearby young energetic blue stars.

The whole team at the Jodrell Plank Observatory enjoy using the Seestar S30 , which is a very user friendly device well suited to the beginner astro-imager.

 - Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.