The Whirlpool Galaxy - M51 (Steven E Labkoff, MD)

The Whirlpool Galaxy - M51

This target was one of my very first on my astrophotography journey. Last night, I got some time on the 14" EdgeHD at [url=https://www.facebook.com/WAS.CT/?__cft__[0]=AZU6hyuA94O8EMA1SW6jHNIjUI9Ksv68pGBqCffiZNlylQeENwy_eCeByQRlRy0oImi3-SdRbfNr2feSMwnd0V9buu_k5uVsIk8hDr8l5TxeMotiQsZ_6zwzwhZk4L8cG3WigmSb2J32gzZBo8q0rMKd&__tn__=kK-R]Westport Astronomical Society[/url]. I hooked up my modified Nikon D750. [url=https://www.facebook.com/shannon.calvert.184?__cft__[0]=AZU6hyuA94O8EMA1SW6jHNIjUI9Ksv68pGBqCffiZNlylQeENwy_eCeByQRlRy0oImi3-SdRbfNr2feSMwnd0V9buu_k5uVsIk8hDr8l5TxeMotiQsZ_6zwzwhZk4L8cG3WigmSb2J32gzZBo8q0rMKd&__tn__=-]K-R]Shannon Calvert[/url] has just finished shooting another galaxy - and had the reducer off the telescope (usually we have the reducer on to get a bit more speed from the instrument (eg: collect more light) - but this time, it was off - so we got the full benefit of the whole 3910mm of magnification possible w/ this instrument. The results were pretty good last night...
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From Wikipedia: The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a, M51a, and NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus.[5][6][7] It lies in theconstellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy.[8] Its distance is 31 million light-years away from Earth.[9]
The galaxy and its companion, NGC 5195,[10] are easily observed by amateur astronomers, and the two galaxies may be seen with binoculars.[11] The Whirlpool Galaxy has been extensively observed by professional astronomers, who study it to understand galaxy structure (particularly structure associated with the spiral arms) and galaxy interactions.
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Target: M51 - the Whirlpool Galaxy
Date: 3/3/2022, Westport Observatory at [url=https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/westportastronomicalsociety?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZU6hyuA94O8EMA1SW6jHNIjUI9Ksv68pGBqCffiZNlylQeENwy_eCeByQRlRy0oImi3-SdRbfNr2feSMwnd0V9buu_k5uVsIk8hDr8l5TxeMotiQsZ_6zwzwhZk4L8cG3WigmSb2J32gzZBo8q0rMKd&__tn__=*NK-R]#westportastronomicalsociety[/url]
Lights: 45 @ 120s, no filters
Darks: 30
Flats: 30
Dark-Flats: 30
Bias: 100
Telescope: Celestron 14" EdgeHD, no reducer (3910 mm, f/11)
Guiding 102mm refractor
Filters: none
Camera: Astromodified Nikon D750 (non-cooled)
Mount: Astrophysics 1200GT
Guiding Software: PHD2
Integration Software; PixInsight
Finishing: Photoshop/Lightroom, NIK Silver Efex 3.0

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	5567665
PixInsight job	32TUWBKQR7F31OI38ORYSAC2T6YF0U16
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	TASK_LOG

RA (center)	13h29m52s.992
RA (top/left)	13h29m13s.732
RA (top/right)	13h28m53s.397
RA (bottom/right)	13h30m31s.884
RA (bottom/left)	13h30m53s.110

Dec (center)	+47°11′59″.99
Dec (top/left)	+47°24′59″.99
Dec (top/right)	+47°01′31″.00
Dec (bottom/right)	+46°58′59″.39
Dec (bottom/left)	+47°22′27″.77

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