NGC6118

NGC6118 is a "grand design" spiral galaxy located about 83 million years away in the constellation Serphens Caput.  This is a fairly dim galaxy and is sometimes called "The Blinking Galaxy" because it comes into vision when using averted vision in the eyepiece and will then vanish if viewed directly.  The galaxy is about 110,000 light years across and was the home of Type 1b supernova 2004dk.

There are only a few amateur images of this object on the web.  It has been observed by the 8.2m instrument at ESO and the ESO image (and discussion) can be found here.

The colors in the ESO image are also quite muted.  I had intended on getting somewhat more color data on this (especially green) and may still do so.  My colors are similar and similarily muted.  Ha may also help highlight the Ha regions in the galaxy, but, from the ESO image even these are not real strong.