NGC 7479 - wonderfuluniverse.de

NGC 7479 from my backyard

In 2011, I imaged the barred spiral galaxy NGC 7479 from my backyard observatory in Krefeld using my DSLR equipment. Despite the challenges of imaging from a suburban location, careful acquisition and long exposure times revealed the galaxy’s striking barred structure and its gracefully curved spiral arms. At the time, this image represented one of my more ambitious galaxy projects, demonstrating what could be achieved with a DSLR camera and patience under less-than-ideal observing conditions.

NGC 7479 is located in the constellation Pegasus, approximately 105 million light-years from Earth. Classified as a barred spiral galaxy (SBbc), it is one of the most impressive examples of its class, dominated by an exceptionally long central bar that extends nearly 100,000 light-years across the galaxy. From the ends of this bar emerge two prominent, asymmetric spiral arms that give NGC 7479 its distinctive appearance.

The galaxy is undergoing an intense period of star formation, particularly within its spiral arms and along the central bar. Numerous bright H II regions mark locations where massive young stars have recently formed, while intricate dark dust lanes trace the dense molecular clouds that serve as the raw material for future generations of stars. Deep images reveal that the bar efficiently channels gas toward the galaxy’s center, fueling both ongoing star formation and activity in its nucleus.

Astronomers believe that NGC 7479 may have experienced a minor merger with a smaller companion galaxy within the last few hundred million years. This interaction is thought to have contributed to its asymmetric spiral pattern, enhanced star formation, and the unusually prominent central bar. Radio observations have also revealed remarkably large magnetic structures extending along the bar, making NGC 7479 an important object for studying the relationship between magnetic fields and galactic evolution.

The galaxy hosts an active galactic nucleus (AGN) powered by a supermassive black hole at its center. Although relatively modest compared with the nuclei of quasars, the central activity provides valuable insight into how gas transported by galactic bars can feed black holes and influence the long-term evolution of spiral galaxies.

Deep images of NGC 7479 also reveal numerous faint background galaxies scattered across the field of view, emphasizing the tremendous depth contained within a single astronomical image. The contrast between the nearby spiral galaxy and these distant island universes adds both scientific interest and visual appeal to the composition.

The image obtained in 2011 remains an important milestone in my astrophotographic archive. Captured with DSLR equipment from my backyard in Krefeld, it demonstrates that even under light-polluted suburban skies, careful planning, long integration times, and meticulous image processing can reveal the remarkable structure of one of the most beautiful barred spiral galaxies in the northern sky.

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