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NGC 3521

Classification: Spiral galaxy NGC3521 / H13-1 / UGC6150
Constellation: Leo
Object Location: Ra 11h 06m 37s Dec -00° 07’14” (current)
Size & Distance: 10.8 x 5.4 Apx. 26.2 Million light years.

Date & Location: 03-20-2015 Little Blair Valley, CA.
Exposure: LRGB; 55, 30, 30, 30. L-5m, rgb-10m. (bin 1x1)
Optics: Telescope Engineering Company APO180FL @ f/7.36 using an Astro-Physics 160FF, F/L 1325mm.
Mount: Astro-Physics 1200 GTO / ATS 10x36 pier.
Camera: FLI-MLx694 @-30c / CFW2-7 / FLI-Atlas focuser / Guided by SBIG ST-I / w OAG.
Filters: Astrodon G2 LRGB
Software: MaxImDL 6.08, Photoshop CS5, CCDStack, Topaz Labs.

Notes: Sky conditions: Poor seeing, Calm wind, Temp 60°
Image Field of view is 26 x 32.4 arcmin.
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NGC 3521 is a flocculent spiral galaxy located around 26 million light-years away from Earth in Leo. It has a morphological classification of SAB(rs)bc, which indicates that it is a spiral galaxy with a trace of a bar structure (SAB), a weak inner ring (rs), and moderate to loosely wound arm structure (bc). The bar structure is difficult to discern, both because it has a low ellipticity and the galaxy is at a high inclination of 72.7° to the line of sight. The relatively bright bulge is nearly 3/4 the size of the bar, which may indicate the former is quite massive. The nucleus of this galaxy is classified as an HII LINER, as there is an H II region at the core and the nucleus forms a low-ionization nuclear emission-line region
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