NGC2403 is a fairly large (21.9'×12.3') intermediate spiral galaxy in Camelopardalis which contains an abundance of active star formation regions (one of which has been separately designated as NGC2404 and is identified in the annotated image).  Sitting a mere 8-10 million light years from us, it bears a remarkable resemblance to the Triangulum Galaxy (M33), though presents itself smaller in our sky.  The annotated image will also draw your attention to some faint background galaxies (designated with PGC catalog numbers) which are far more distant and begin to reveal the extent of the universe and the countless treasures the sit beyond the cloak of the sky.

This image is where it all began -- not in the universe, but back on Earth near St. Louis, MO.  It was my first tracked and guided photo, and marked the beginning of the long, time-consuming hobby over which I continue to find myself obsessing.  Using a remote shutter and my trusty "daytime" Olympus camera body hooked in prime focus to the telescope, I fired off 44 four-minute subexposures under a 90% moon to compose this hidden wonder.  In time, I'll very likely revisit this target with improved equipment and skill, but this photo will always be top dog on my chronological list of images.