One of the mayor discoveries performed by Caroline Hershel. NGC 253 is known as the Silver Coin Galaxy and it is one of the nearest spiral galaxies to our Milky Way. With about 70 thousands light years across, it is the brightest member of the Sculptor Group. Other members of the same group are NGC 300, NGC 55 and NGC 247. The high dust content with frantic star formation gives NGC 253 the designation of a "starburst galaxy" showing a violent activity along its central region. The turbulence is originated by massive energy and matter wind.
The image was taken with an 6 inches Orion Optics UK reflector and a QSI 583 WS camera riding in a SW NEQ6 Mount. A total exposures of 2 hours and 40 minutes were invested to get this images 100 km north from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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