Fireflies

A string of eight galaxies known as “Markarian’s chain” with 14 more of their visual neighbors. A personal first of 22 galaxies in a single shot with the new Apertura 72mm f/6 refractor. Shot from my backyard on May 1st at about 11 pm.

Watch closely.
Those little pools - of light.
Take away their names,
And they become a swarm
Of fireflies.

 
Pick one.
Let your eyes ease in
On the shape.
A face-on spiral,
An edge-on wisp.

Drink.
A thimbleful of photons
From worlds
Receding at lightning speeds,
In slow motion.

Feel.
The fleeting warmth
Of red-shifted amber glow,
Floating in a sea
Of blue-white dots.

Gaze.
And if you peer
Long enough,
You might even
See them blink.


" And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

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Markarian’s chain and other galaxies.

Skywatcher Az-GTi, Apertura 72 ED f/6, ASI 294MC Pro cooled camera;

120s x19 subs (38 mins exposure), calibrated with bias, flats and dark flats, guided.

Software: NINA, Stellarium, GS server, PHD2, DSS, TopazDenoiseAI, GIMP.