| Object : | M31, Andromeda Galaxy |
| Coordinates/Direction : | RA: 00h43m, DEC: +41o21' |
| Object size : | 189' x 61' |
| Object magnitude : | 3.44 |
| More to know : |
Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Andromeda Galaxy |
| Date : | 2023-09-21 |
| Time (UT) : | 19:08 to 20:02 |
| Mount : | SkyWatcher HEQ5 controlled by Astroberry |
| Guide : | Ekos internal guider in dithering mode, QHY5 camera with 200 mm f/3.5 lens |
| Lens/telescope : | Pentax 645 300 mm ED f/4 (medium format lens) |
| Corrector/Barlow : | - |
| Field (FOV) : | 6.8x4.5 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 6D, controlled by Astroberry software |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 22x120 seconds, iso1600 |
| Image process tool : | Siril, Gimp, Irfanview |
| Processing : | cal bias, flat, photometric color calibration |
| Weather : | 50% clouds |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Björnö nature reservation. Bortle class 4 |
| Comment : |
First out on the field photo the season 2023.
Even if it was promised a clear sky we had clouds that coming and go.
This time I cranked up the saturation a bit.
It was my first test of the new setup for clock synchronization and it worked very well.
The clock, date and location must be correct, otherwise some of the functions get in trouble.
That was a big step forward. Here is my story from the night in Swedish,
My night book. |
| Date : | 2023-09-21 |
| Time (UT) : | 19:08 to 20:02 |
| Comment : |
The Andromeda galaxy has satellite galaxies as our own Milky Way.
Here is M110, it's a dwarf elliptical galaxy.
It's the last number in the Messier list.
You find more details here: M110 Wikipedia. |
| Date : | 2023-09-21 |
| Time (UT) : | 19:08 to 20:02 |
| Comment : |
One more satellite galaxy to M31, it's M32.
It was discovered already 1749 by Guillaume Le Gentil.
You find more details here: M32 Wikipedia.
Notice the heavy dustlanes in the main galaxy M31.
Places where stars are born at. |
| Date : | 2022-11-12 |
| Time (UT) : | 19:53 to 20:17 |
| Mount : | SkyWatcher HEQ5 controlled by Astroberry |
| Guide : | Ekos internal guider in dithering mode, QHY5 camera with 200 mm f/3.5 lens |
| Lens/telescope : | Pentax 645 300 mm ED f/4 (medium format lens) |
| Corrector/Barlow : | - |
| Field (FOV) : | 6.8x4.5 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 6D, controlled by Astroberry software |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 12x60 seconds, iso1600 |
| Image process tool : | Siril, Fitswork, Irfanview |
| Processing : | crop, resize, level, cal dark, bias, flat |
| Weather : | 50% clouds |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Björnö nature reservation. Bortle class 4 |
| Comment : |
After I had setup the equipment I started with an easy target, the big and bright M31 Andromeda galaxy.
When doing this photographing a lot of clouds pass by and I had to trash more than half the photos.
With high gain on the blue channel it gives this look of the galaxy. |
| Date : | 2019-08-31 |
| Time (UT) : | 22:59 to 00:00 |
| Mount : | Star Adventurer, see
wedge,
tripod |
| Guide : | - |
| Lens/telescope : | Canon 300 mm f/4.0 (set to f/4.0) |
| Corrector/Barlow : | - |
| Field (FOV) : | 6.8x4.5 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 6D, controlled by intervallometer, focused through wifi and
Canon app. |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 44x60 seconds, iso1600 |
| Image process tool : | AstroImageJ, Fitswork, Irfanview |
| Processing : | demosaic, flat calibrated, dark level adjust, median stack (to get rid of static pattern), crop, level |
| Weather : | clear |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Björnö nature reservation. Bortle class 4 |
| Comment : |
M31 Andromeda Galaxy.
This is the first image this season. It's also my first test of my new (used) Canon 300 mm f/4 lens.
I was not sure if my relative simple mount Star Adventurer could handle this long focal length, but it worked.
This lens has twice the focal length compared to my earlier lens, it helps a lot to see the details in the objects.
Almost like a small telescope with built in field flattener and motor focus.
This evening we had a private Star Party, we did visual observations, Starscapes and long
exposures deep sky photos.
I had some struggle with my mount, the coupling on DEC axis got broken, a fast solution fix needed to be handled. |
| Date : | 2019-09-01 |
| Time (UT) : | 00:00 |
| Comment : |
Asteroids ?
A friend to me told that there is an asteroid in this photo.
This is a star chart with the same date as the photo.
I can see two asteroids, Herschel magnitude 14.2 and Ruth Wolfe magnitude 15.5.
But both are outside of the field of the photography.
Must investigate more deeper. |
| Date : | 2017-08-19 |
| Time (UT) : | 21:55 to 22:58 |
| Mount : | EQ6 Pro |
| Guide : | - |
| Lens/telescope : | Sigma APO 150 mm f/2.8 (set to f/4.0) |
| Corrector/Barlow : | - |
| Field (FOV) : | 13.6x9.1 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 6D, controlled by APT |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 30x120 seconds, iso800 |
| Image process tool : | AstroImageJ, Fitswork |
| Processing : | demosaic, flat calibrated, dark level adjust, median stack (to get rid of static pattern), crop, level |
| Weather : | clear |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Björnö nature reservation. Bortle class 4 |
| Comment : |
M31 Andromeda Galaxy.
Same object as before, but now taken with the camera mounted on the big EQ6 mount, much more stable.
Can you se any difference? |
| Date : | 2016-09-10 |
| Time (UT) : | 20:19 to 23:45 |
| Mount : | Star Adventurer |
| Guide : | - |
| Lens/telescope : | Sigma APO 150mm f/2.8 (set to f/4.0) |
| Corrector/Barlow : | - |
| Field (FOV) : | 13.6x9.1 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 6D, controlled by intervallometer |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 89x120 seconds, iso400 |
| Image process tool : | AstroImageJ, Fitswork |
| Processing : | demosaic, flat calibrated, dark level adjust, median stack (to get rid of static pattern), crop, level |
| Weather : | clear |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Ingarö. Bortle class 4 |
| Comment : |
M31 Andromeda Galaxy.
The photo was taken with my Sigma APO 150 mm lens set to f4. I'm very satisfied with my Star Adventurer mount.
Later when I have collect more experience I hope to increase the exposure time. |
| Date : | 2016-09-10 |
| Lens/telescope : | Sigma APO 150mm f/2.8 (set to f/4.0) |
| camera : | Canon 6D, controlled by intervallometer |
| Comment : |
M31 Andromeda Galaxy.
Here is a crop version of above photo. Even if it's taken with a short 150 mm lens you can still se details in the Galaxy. |
| Date : | 2016-09-10 |
| Time (UT) : | 20:19 to 23:45 |
| Mount : | Star Adventurer |
| Guide : | - |
| Lens/telescope : | Sigma APO 150mm f/2.8 (set to f/4.0) |
| Corrector/Barlow : | - |
| Field (FOV) : | 13.6x9.1 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 6D, controlled by intervallometer |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 80x120 seconds, iso400 |
| Image process tool : | Siril, Fitswork (new 2022) |
| Processing : | flat, dark, bias calibrated, median stack (to get rid of static pattern), crop, level |
| Weather : | clear |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Ingarö. Bortle class 4 |
| Comment : |
M31 Andromeda Galaxy, version 2.
I have redone the image pre processing with Siril.
I have more control of the process and can select which frames that will be included.
I also borrowed a flat screen by my friend Rolf. See also the uncropped version by clicking on the image, so lot of stars !
With this less advanced mount it's not so easy to track the stars for 120 seconds. |
| Date : | 2015-08-22 |
| Time (UT) : | - |
| Mount : | Skywatcher EQ6 Pro controlled by EQMOD and APT |
| Guide : | PHD2in dithering mode and off axis guide QHY5 |
| Lens/telescope : | TS130, 910mm f/7 (682mm, f/5.3) |
| Corrector/Barlow : | Riccardi flat field corrector 2.5" x0.75 |
| Field (FOV) : | 3x2 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 5D |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 19x30, 30x120, 16x240 seconds iso800 |
| Image process tool : | DSS, Fitswork, Irfanview |
| Processing : | resize, level, cal dark&bias |
| Weather : | clear |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Ingarö. Bortle class 4 |
| Comment : |
One of my first test with the modified adapters to reduce vignetting problems. Works fine relative earlier.
But as seen, the 30 seconds exposures doesn't fit very well at the high levels as in galaxy center.
This was one and only time that I took my telescope out to the summerhouse.
Relative our flat in city there is a huge difference in light pollution and what a difference it made. |
| Date : | 2006-11-26 |
| Time (UT) : | 18:57 to 19:36 |
| Mount : | EQ4 with motor |
| Lens/telescope : |
Makinon 135mm f/2.8 |
| Corrector/Barlow : | none |
| Field (FOV) : | 12x8 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 350D |
| Film/CCD : | iso800 |
| Exp. time : | of 38x60 seconds only 6 was used because of clouds |
| Weather : | clouds come and go |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Midsommarkransen 4:th floor. Bortle class 9 |
| Comment : |
This was my first attempt to shot M31. Our neighbor galaxy, maybe it will collide
with us in the future. It's fantastic that it's possibly
to take a deep sky image from city where I live, without
any filter! |
English
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(credit CdC, Cartes du Ciel)
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