M51 [Whirlpool Galaxy] with a C6 and Reducer (Marc Whitsett)

Celestial hemisphere: Northern · Constellation: Canes Venatici (CVn) · Contains: IC 4277 · IC 4278 · M 51 · NGC 5194 · NGC 5195 · Whirlpool Galaxy

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M51 [Whirlpool Galaxy] with a C6 and Reducer

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M51 [Whirlpool Galaxy] with a C6 and Reducer

I used a C6 with a focal length 1500 mm at f/10 with a 0.63 reducer bringing it to 945 mm at f/ 6.3 for this image with a lot of integration time [~ 9 hours, with at least 3 4 hours discarded, clouds, etc.]. I imaged on 4/10, 4/11, 4/12, 4/15, 4/17 and 4/19/2023.

If I were to do it again I would have imaged without the reducer but then it would take even longer to get the photons!

I used an older mount, my Orion Sirius EQ for imaging. It really did a great job, much to my surprise.

Also new was the post-processing using masks in PixInsight which remains challenging for me.

Pretty happy overall. I suspect if I had used my Esprit 120 mm at 820 mm at f/7 the image would have been better.

Of course, Messier 51 needs no introduction. The Whirlpool galaxy is one of the grandest and most imaged galaxies in the astro world.

Discovered by Charles Messier in 1773, M51 is located 31 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Canes Venatici. It has an apparent magnitude of 8.4 and can be spotted with a small telescope most easily during May.

Messier

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	7638874
PixInsight job	LHMK80ON0OUBCCUGZKJ8KW8A8IE3V01L
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	TASK_LOG

RA (center)	13h29m53s.498
RA (top/left)	13h28m03s.733
RA (top/right)	13h29m24s.780
RA (bottom/right)	13h31m42s.120
RA (bottom/left)	13h30m23s.900

Dec (center)	+47°11′41″.51
Dec (top/left)	+47°23′21″.28
Dec (top/right)	+46°50′20″.39
Dec (bottom/right)	+46°59′55″.61
Dec (bottom/left)	+47°33′03″.60

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M51 [Whirlpool Galaxy] with a C6 and Reducer

M51 [Whirlpool Galaxy] with a C6 and Reducer

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M51 [Whirlpool Galaxy] with a C6 and Reducer

M51 [Whirlpool Galaxy] with a C6 and Reducer

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