20210906 - M31 (AND) Andromeda Galaxy - 2nd date with the grand lady of the heavens
What was the experience
I decided to re-do Andromeda anyway, in spite of having a base layer with the RedCat
A clean fresh start 😎, to jump to the next level. New data from scratch, with the TS94, slightly better resolution, which gave me some nice detail in the dark bands and outer edges. Using the L-Pro to get in as much of Andromeda’s natural colour as possible.
The big step here is my processing skills. With some coaching on what is possible, and in spite of not having flats, I think I’ve reached a new level. Star field looks nicely flat (no donuts anymore), background gradients gone. Still some artefacts in there (I know where to find them 😉), but I know what’s causing them … Which means I know what to do to improve further. Practical things, like .. dither, flats, darks flats …
I’m happy 😍 with the coaching from my friends …
I’m happy 😊 with how the image turned out …
It’s a brand new start on a new level …
What’s in the picture(s)
M31 - The Andromeda Galaxy -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_GalaxyQuote: “The Andromeda Galaxy (IPA:
/ænˈdrɒmɪdə/), also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224 and originally the Andromeda Nebula (see below), is a
barred spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million
light-yearsfrom Earth and the nearest major galaxy to the
Milky Way.
The number of stars contained in the Andromeda Galaxy is estimated at one trillion (1×1012), or roughly twice the number estimated for the Milky Way.
The Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies are
expected to collide in around 4-5 billion years, merging to form a giant
elliptical galaxy or a large
lenticular galaxy”
How it was done
Scope: TS-94EDPH APO (FL 414mm / 517mm with 0.8x corrector)
Mount: SkyWatcher EQ6R-Pro
Camera: ASI2600MC Pro
Guiding: @zwoasi OAG, ASI290MM, ASIAIR Pro
Filter: Optolong L-Pro
Resolution: 1,87”/pixel, FoV 235’
Moon: 1%(-), Bortle 5/6 SQM 19.60
Photons: Gain 100 -10c 300s 60x (o/W 53 processed)
Darks 30x
Processing: PixInsight (Mac)
Astrobin:
What have I learned from this
This is a great Galaxy, the grand lady of the heavens, and I can understand why people want to revisit it, re-process it, add data to it, again and again. You never seem to get enough of trying to draw out that little extra detail, that soft colour, the flow out into space, and the understanding that this is the bigger sister of our Milky Way … with millions of worlds of its own 🤩
Clear Skies everybody! 🤩✨🔭
IG
https://www.instagram.com/astrowaut/Astrobin:
https://www.astrobin.com/users/WCA65/FB ‘Deep Sky Astrophotgraphy’:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/359385525864088/?ref=share
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