Date Posted: 1/13/2026
Date Taken: Three consecutive nights, from 10/14 - 10/16/2025
Scope: Planewave CDK 12.5 f/8, 2541mm
Camera: SBIG STL-11000 with Astrodon Tru-Balance E-Series Gen2 filters
Temp: -15C
Mount: Losmandy Titan
Guiding: On-axis via ONAG-XM and SX UltraStar at 2541mm. FocusLock real-time focus for focusing.
Exposure: LRGB 435:130:135:120, total 13hrs, 40min. Luminance 15min unbinned, RGB 5 min, binned 2x2

Calibrated and Stacked with CCDStack2. Processed with Photoshop CS4.

Abell 426, a cluster of galaxies in the constellation Perseus, is one of the most massive objects in the known universe, with over 1000 galaxies embedded within a huge cloud of multi-million degree gas. The cluster is about 225 million light years away. It is also the source of one of the deepest notes ever detected. At 57 octaves below middle C on a piano, it is far beyond our human ears' ability to detect it.

The galaxy NGC 1275 is its brightest member. It is a strong source of radio and X-ray emissions. It is actually believed to be two separate galaxies: a large elliptical with an active nucleus, and a high-velocity system in front of it from our perspective. that is rapidly approaching the elliptical. Although the two are still 200,000 light years apart, tidal interactions between them are stripping large amounts of gas and leading to high rates of star formation.