Latest news with #RonaldBrecher
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Knife Edge Galaxy cuts a sharp profile in new amateur portrait (photo)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astrophotographer Ronald Brecher captured a striking image of the Knife Edge Galaxy (NGC 5907) during May under a near-full moon from his backyard observatory near the city of Guelph in Canada. The Knife Edge Galaxy is located some 50 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco, according to NASA. NGC 5907's spiral form is oriented edge-on to our planet, granting it a sharp, needle-like appearance that has given rise to a number of nicknames, such as the Splinter Galaxy. Brecher's image showcases the bright central core of the Splinter Galaxy shining out from behind the choking dust clouds that thread the grand cosmic structure. Hidden among the star-studded spiral arms is the record-breaking energetic pulsar NGC 5907 ULX, which emits as much energy in a single second as our sun releases in three and a half years. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to see the wonders of the solar system and beyond for yourself? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is great for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. Check out our Celestron NexStar 4SE review for a more detailed breakdown of its features and capabilities. The nearby companion galaxy PGC54419 can also be picked out as a smudge of light in the upper right of the image. "The Splinter Galaxy is one of my favorites," said Brecher in an email to "I've shot it before, but not with the resolution afforded by the C14." It took Brecher a little over 21 hours to image the Knife Edge Galaxy using his Celestron 14" EDGE HD telescope in conjunction with a high-end astronomy camera between May 9-15 earlier this year. Check out Brecher's website for a breakdown of the filters and other peripherals used to capture and edit the cosmic splinter portrait. Stargazers interested in capturing the night sky for themselves should read up on our guides for the best telescope and astrophotography camera deals for 2025. Editor's Note: If you would like to share your deep sky astrophotography with readers, then please send your photo(s), name, location and comments to spacephotos@
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Amateur astrophotographer catches a cosmic sunflower in bloom
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astrophotographer Ronald Brecher has captured a gorgeous view of the 'Sunflower Galaxy' (Messier 63) from his backyard observatory near the city of Guelph in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Brecher's deep-sky portrait reveals incredible detail in the arms of the spiral galaxy, the patterning and structure of which bear a striking resemblance to the head of a cosmic sunflower. M63 can be seen shining with the radiation cast out by a multitude of giant newly-birthed white-blue stars, the light from which travelled for some 27 million light-years to reach Earth, according to NASA. "Poor weather has made imaging a little challenging lately," Brecher told in an email. "I was able to get more than 13 hours on M63 in spite of clouds and the moon." M63 appears to be formed from many fragmented arms arranged around its bright core, as opposed to the well-defined, sweeping structures that characterize 'grand design' spiral galaxies like NGC 3631, or Bode's Galaxy. Brecher imaged the Sunflower Galaxy as the moon progressed towards its first quarter phase on the nights of April 17-28 using his Celestron 14" EDGE HD telescope in conjunction with a monochrome astronomy camera, and a host of helpful peripherals. A little over 13 hours was spent capturing 158 exposures of the galaxy with red, green, blue and hydrogen-alpha filters, the data from which was processed using the astrophoto editing software PixInsight. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to see the wonders of the night sky for yourself? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. May happens to be the best month in which to view the Sunflower Galaxy, which will be visible as a faint smudge of light in smaller telescopes under good viewing conditions. One way to locate the patch of sky containing M63 is to find the bright stars Arcturus, in the constellation Bootes, and Dubhe, which forms the pouring tip of the pan in the 'Big Dipper' asterism. The Sunflower Galaxy can be found half way between the two. Use a stargazing app if you need help finding the stars. Interested in capturing the majesty of the night sky for yourself? If so be sure to check out our guides for the best binocular and telescope deals, along with the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography. Editor's Note: If you are interested in sharing your astrophotography with the readers at please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@
