M-33   Triangulum Galaxy

Our sister galaxy is Andromeda, but not very far below Andromeda, and faintly visible with binoculars is the 3rd largest galaxy of our Local Group. It is known as M33 or the Triangulum galaxy (because it is located in the constellation called Triangulum). It's about half as big as either Andromeda or our Milky Way and it is much less dense than either of them. Because of it's thinness and face on orientation toward us it is difficult to observe and photograph. This is a picture of the core region of M33. It extends way beyond the edges here. M33 has been of interest to astronomers because it is relatively close to us. Because it is face on we can therefore more easily observe the processes that go on inside galaxies. The pink and reddish knots for example  are dense star forming regions.

10" F6.3 SCT telescope, Baader coma corrector, light pollution filter, Modified Canon 40D camera at prime focus
600 sec, ISO 1600
10 photos averaged together, then brightness and contrast enhanced