Messier 102 (NGC 5866) from my own backyard

I imaged Messier 102 on two occasions, in 2014 and again in 2016, using the same setup each time—a 10″ Newtonian reflector paired with my CCD camera at my backyard in Krefeld. For the final result, I combined both datasets to increase depth, reduce noise, and bring out the subtle structures of this elegant galaxy.

Scientifically, Messier 102 is most commonly identified with NGC 5866, a lenticular galaxy in the constellation Draco. Seen almost edge-on, it displays a prominent, razor-thin dust lane cutting across its bright central bulge—one of the clearest dust features known in any S0 galaxy. Lenticular galaxies like M102 bridge the morphological gap between ellipticals and spirals: they host an aging stellar population and little active star formation, yet retain a well-defined disk. Deep imaging often reveals faint outer structures and a diffuse stellar halo, making M102 an excellent target for long exposures. My combined 2014/2016 dataset brings out these details more clearly, especially the fine texture of the dust lane and the smooth, extended glow of the surrounding halo.

The data calibration and registration and the final processing was done with PixInsight. The result was as follows:

The images were taken with the following equipment:

• Date: 2014, 2016
• Location: Krefeld, Germany
• Telescope: 10″ Newton ohne Namen
• Focal length [mm]: 1000
• Focal ratio: 3.9
• Mount: Losmandy G11
• Camera: Moravian 8300FW
• Filter: L:R:G:B
• Exposure time [min]: 100:60:60:60
• Resolution: 1.11″/px