Stellar Shot of the Week

Brian Meyers captured this superb shot of the Hickson 44 group of galaxies (HCG 44) in the constellation Leo with his SVX152T. This compact galaxy group is approximately 100 million light-years away from Earth and contains three spiral galaxies (NGC 3185, NGC 3187, NGC 3190) and one elliptical galaxy (NGC 3193). Compact galaxy groups are relatively short-lived and form through mergers of galaxies within loose subsystems. Scientists predict that the merging of group members should proceed rapidly within one billion years to form an elliptical galaxy.

Description: LRGB from Bortle 7

Other Designations: Hickson 44 Galaxy Group, HCG 44, Arp 316

• NGC 3185
  
• NGC 3187
  
• NGC 3189
  
• NGC 3190
  
• NGC 3193
  

Details:

Telescope: Stellarvue SVX152T

Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Pro

Mount: Sky-Watcher CQ350 Pro

Filters:

• Antlia Blue 2"
  
• Antlia Green 2"
  
• Antlia Luminance 2"
  
• Antlia Red 2"
  

Accessories:

• Stellarvue SFFX1
  
• ZWO ASIAIR Plus
  
• ZWO EAF
  
• ZWO EFW 7 x 2″
  
• ZWO OAG-L
  

Guiding camera: ZWO ASI174MM Mini

Software:

• Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight
  
• ZWO ASIAIR
  

*For more details and an in-depth look at this image, visit Brian’s AstroBin.

References:

Wikipedia contributors. (2025b, February 22). Hickson 44. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hickson_44

information@eso.org. (n.d.). Counting galaxies in Hickson Compact Group 44 (ARP 316) – Interacting galaxies. www.esahubble.org. https://esahubble.org/projects/fits_liberator/fitsimages/lluis_romero_01/