M33 - NGC598 - Triangulum Galaxy (v3) (2 votes)  
Triangulum

Spiral galaxy approximately 3 million light-years away in the constellation Triangulum.
 
 
The galaxy is also sometimes informally referred to as the Pinwheel Galaxy. However, the same name is used also to refer to Messier 101.

It is the third largest galaxy in the Local Group, a group of galaxies that also contains the Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy, and it may be a gravitationally bound companion of the Andromeda Galaxy. The Pisces Dwarf (LGS 3), one of the small Local Group member galaxies, is possibly a satellite of Triangulum.

The Triangulum Galaxy was probably discovered by Giovanni Batista Hodierna before 1654. It was independently discovered by Charles Messier in 1764, who catalogued it as M33 on August 25. M33 was also catalogued independently by William Herschel on September 11, 1784 number H V.17. It was among the first "spiral nebulae" identified as such by Lord Rosse.

Herschel also cataloged The Triangulum Galaxy's brightest and largest H II region (diffuse emission nebula containing ionized hydrogen) as H III.150 separately from the galaxy itself, which eventually obtained NGC number 604. As seen from Earth NGC 604 is located northeast of the galaxy's central core, and is one of the largest H II regions known with a diameter of nearly 1500 light-years and a spectrum similar to the Orion Nebula. Herschel also noted 3 other smaller H II regions (NGC 588, 592 and 595).

It's estimated distance of 2.77 ± 0.13 Mly (850 ± 40 kpc) was achieved in 2004. Also the Tip of the Red Giant Branch (TRGB) method was used to derive a distance estimate of 2.59 ± 0.08 Mly (794 ± 23 kpc).


Link to old version: M33 - Triangulum Galaxy
 
 
TECHNICAL DATA:  
Location:  
 Valdemorillo - Madrid - Spain
Date:  
 16/oct/2009
Conditions:  
 Normal
Temperature:  
 12ºC
Humidity:  
 47
 
Telescope:  
 GSO Reflector 200mm f/4
Reducer/corrector:  
 Baader MPCC
Filter:  
 IDAS LPS 2"
Mount:  
 Meade LXD Autostar
Camera:  
 Canon 350D no filter
Exposure:  
 10x300s@800iso (50')
Guiding tube:  
 B&C 60/350 f7
Guiding camera:  
 Meade DSI Pro
Guiding software:  
 PHD Guiding
 
Procesing:  
 Procesado estandard.  
Notes:  
  
     
   
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