The Triangulum Galaxy isn’t triangular, it is called such since it resides in the Triangulum constellation. Like the Andromeda Galaxy, it is a large object covering a little more than one degree of sky. Unlike the Andromeda Galaxy, it is much dimmer and more diffuse making it difficult to see with the naked eye. It is also part of the “Local Group”, a cluster of galaxies that include our Milky Way. If Andromeda is our big sister, the Triangulum Galaxy is our cute little sister.
This image was the first really good image I captured as an aspiring astrophotographer. After years in the hobby, and hours of trial and error, I was finally able to get good skies, steady tracking, and proper calibration to really do this beauty justice. I used a one shot color camera and was finally able to competently process the image using Pixinsight. I was so pleased I made a large metal print that hangs in my office.
What is it about this galaxy that is so appealing? First it has a panoply of lovely pink and blue nebulae. It is remarkable that we can observe nebula in other galaxies millions of light years away. I can spend a good deal of time admiring all of these gems that pop out like jewels on a crown.
Second, its classic spiral structure evokes the grace of the Whirling Dervishes of Sufism, as if the galaxy itself is dancing in the cosmic rhythm of creation. The purpose of the dervish dance is to achieve a state of spiritual ecstasy and connect with God. The spinning is a form of physical meditation that catalyzes a mystical journey toward spiritual perfection and oneness with the divine. Dervishes spin to transcend their ego, embrace the world with love, and receive divine blessings. I also marvel at the fact that everything in the Universe is spinning: galaxies, suns, planets, moons, atoms, electrons, even the entire cosmos is spinning. Dynamic motion seems to be at the heart of creation.
The Triangulum Galaxy is a reminder that even in the vastness of the universe, we are never alone. It is a little sister who is watching over us, spinning in the dance of creation, waiting for us to look up and see her beauty.