M88

Messier 88 is one of the brighter spiral galaxies in the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies. As its equatorial plane is inclined by about 30 degrees to the line of sight, its appearance resembles that of the Andromeda galaxy, M31. A type Ia supernova was seen here in 1999. In my photo below, I have allowed some vignetting from the focal reducer to appear, as it brightens the spiral arms of the galaxy.

Image taken Feb. 26, 2012, with the C-14 operating at F:3.5 and the ST-8 camera binned 2 X 2. Exposure is 7 1/2 minutes.