M33 - The Triangulum Galaxy
The Triangulum Galaxy is another galaxy that is close to our Milky way galaxy. It is roughly 3 million light years away (compared to the 2.5 million for the Andromeda Galaxy). It can be seen with the naked under very dark sky conditions but is not as prominent as M31. It is a faint nebulous patch even in binoculars.
The galaxy is a popular object for astrophotographers. Recording the entire galaxy in one image will require a focal length of 750 mm or greater. It can be found in the constellation of Triangulum. This image shows the object's location:
When viewed through the finder scope or binoculars the object becomes more prominent. While the galaxy has a magnitude of about +6, it has a low surface brightness, which makes it appear much fainter.
This photograph was taken using a modified Canon T3i set at ISO 800 and a six-inch F-5 reflector. The resultant image is a stack of three five-minute and three two-minute exposures. At the lower left is a pink nebula with the designation of NGC 604. There are other nebulae visible in the arms of this galaxy.
