NGC 2903 is a barred spiral galaxy in Leo, well-known as "the one that Messier missed".? It has an unusual mass distribution, with over 75% of the total mass contained in the spiral arms rather than in the nucleus.? Professional studies have shown the nucleus to be an active area of new-star formation with numerous "hot spots" in the infra-red spectrum.? This unusual level of star formation is thought to be fueled by the central bar structure seen in this image.
The image was captured during 5 nights in February-March 2024 from SkyPi Remote Observatory using a 12.5" PlaneWave scope and a QSI-640ws camera at f/8 for a final LRGB integration of 17.5 hours
