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Galaxy Messier 51, Whirlpool Galaxy

Object :	M51 Whirlpool Galaxy
Coordinates/Direction :	RA: 13h29m, DEC: +14o11'
Object size :	11.2' x 6.9'
Object magnitude :	8.4
More to know :	Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Whirlpool Galaxy

M51 2024-01-08 to 2024-02-23, crop (Click on the image and get one in full resolution in a new window)

Date :	2024-01-08 + 01-18 + 02-01 + 02-04 + 02-05 + 02-17 + 02-23
Time (UT) :	-

Exp. time :	226x120 seconds = 7 hour 32 minutes at iso1600, dithering mode
Image process tool :	Siril, Gimp, Irfanview
Processing :	calibration of bias, flat, photometric color, crop 800x800 pix 1:1 scale
Weather :	Clear sky, full Moon, temperature +3o C

Comment :

After a while I have collected a lot of exposure on the M51 galaxy. Now it will be very interesting to stack all this sub photos and see what I get. The dark bands that cross the galaxy is much more contrast in now and lower noise. At a dark place it has maybe be enough with 3 hours exposure. I have 7 hours of shorter exposures, 30 and 60 seconds to add to these images. Other object in the image: M51 plate solved, Astrometry.net.

M51 2024-02-17, crop (Click on the image and get one in full resolution in a new window)

Date :	2024-02-17
Time (UT) :	20:43 to 21:52

Exp. time :	28x120 seconds = 56 minutes at iso1600, dithering mode
Image process tool :	Siril, Gimp, Irfanview
Processing :	calibration of bias, flat, photometric color
Weather :	Clear sky, Moon, temperature -1o C

Comment :

A fantastic night, clear sky from 7 pm to 4 am. This is one of 5 objects from this night. I can later use it to add together with earlier ones to reduce the noise.

M51 2024-02-06, crop (Click on the image and get one in full resolution in a new window)

Date :	2024-02-05
Time (UT) :	21:16 to 00:24

Exp. time :	51x120 seconds at iso1600, dithering mode
Image process tool :	Siril, Gimp, Irfanview
Processing :	calibration of bias, flat
Weather :	Clear sky, temperature -5o C

Comment :

More photos of the Whirlpool galaxy. Color calibrated from star's spectra. Feels a bit strange with this green tinted look. Maybe something with the light pollution that disturb the process.

M51 2024-01-08, crop (Click on the image and get one in full resolution in a new window)

Date :	2024-01-08
Time (UT) :	00:55 to 02:43

Exp. time :	42x120 seconds at iso1600, dithering mode
Image process tool :	Siril, Gimp, Irfanview
Processing :	calibration of bias, flat
Weather :	Clear sky, temperature -12o C

Comment :

This time I have increased the sub exposures from 60 seconds to 120 seconds. 2 minutes exposure is the limit in my light polluted area, Bortle class 9. A f/7 telescope needs about three times the exposure relative a f/4. With 42 sub images I got a total exposure time of 84 minutes, the one I took earlier had 54 minutes exposure. In other words, this one should look better and there were no clouds either. I need to practice more with this f/7 telescope.

M51 2024-01-06, crop (Click on the image and get one in full resolution in a new window)

Date :	2024-01-06
Time (UT) :	00:34 to 01:53

Exp. time :	54x60 seconds at iso1600, dithering mode
Image process tool :	Siril, Gimp, Irfanview
Processing :	calibration of bias, flat
Weather :	Some clouds, quarter Moon, temperature -12o C

Comment :

Now my big TS130 APO refractor is up and running again. So exciting to see what it can deliver in its new shape. This telescope is much slower with its f/7 opening compare to the f/4 lens I have used the last two years. 54 minutes exposure is nothing, need at last 4 hours, 60 x 240 seconds from a dark place. Other than that it looks to work well with this new setup.

M51 2023-02-27 (Click on the image and get one in full resolution in a new window)

Date :	2023-02-27
Time (UT) :	21:17 to 21:56

Exp. time :	30x60 seconds at iso1600
Image process tool :	Siril, Gimp, Irfanview
Processing :	cal dark, flat
Weather :	clear sky, no clouds but a bit foggy, temperature -2o C

Comment :

It could be interesting to compare what this 300 mm lens perform with the big TS130 APO refractor.

M51 2020-03-14 (Click on the image and get one in full resolution in a new window)

Date :	2020-03-14
Time (UT) :	20:32 to 22:02

Exp. time :	68x60 seconds, 1600iso, dithering mode
Image process tool :	Siril, Gimp, Irfanview
Processing :	synthetic bias, flat, photometric color calibration
Weather :	clear, full moon, temperature -1o C

Comment :

An old not processed image that I have processed with more modern tools. A strong dust blob on the left side of the galaxy, but doesn't matter later when I stack it together with a lot of other M51 photos. I have now 15 hour of exposure time in this galaxy with the APO refractor. When I stack all of them together it will select only the images of the best quality. Maybe it will add up to 13 hours. It will be a mix of 30, 60 and 120 seconds sub images.

M51 2019-03-23

Date :	2019-03-23
Time (UT) :	20:48 to 21:40

Exp. time :	30x60 seconds, iso1600, dithering mode
Image process tool :	AstroImageJ, Fitswork, Irfanview
Processing :	demosaic, flat, hot pixel removed by dithering, level, 1:1 crop
Weather :	clear, full moon

Comment :

This night the sky was clear and I spend a long time to get in better focus. The difference isn't much better compare to earlier attempts but on the right way. The noise is less for some strange reason, the exposure time was only half compare to the one before.

M51 2019-03-19

Date :	2019-03-19
Time (UT) :	20:11 to 21:36

Exp. time :	60x60 seconds, iso1600, dithering mode
Image process tool :	AstroImageJ, Fitswork, Irfanview
Processing :	demosaic, flat, hot pixel removed by dithering, level, 1:1 crop
Weather :	clear, full moon

Comment :

One more attempt to test the equipment on the galaxy M51. More control of the focuser and maybe you see that this latest photo is a bit sharper. This is the first image it didn't slip at all. To increase the contrast I need a lot more exposure, without that the noise will be to high.

M51 2019-02-15, new setup with longer focal length

Date :	2019-02-15
Time (UT) :	21:46 to 23:43

Exp. time :	120x30 seconds, iso1600
Image process tool :	AstroImageJ, Fitswork, Irfanview
Processing :	demosaic, flat, hot pixel removed by dithering, level, 400x400 pixel 1:1 crop
Weather :	clear, full moon

Comment :

A new attempt to catch the M51 galaxy. This time with the new setup and increased focal length, from 682 to 910mm. Short exposures with high ISO setting. A small improvement.

M51 2016-02-25, new camera

(Clikc on image and get one in full resolution in a new window)

Date :	2016-02-25
Time (UT) :	20:50 to 22:13

Exp. time :	60x60 seconds, iso800, dithering mode
Image process tool :	Fitswork, Irfanview
Processing :	resize, level
Weather :	clear, full moon, temperature -1o C

Comment :

This galaxy is interesting. There is actually two galaxies that interacting on each other. It's very common too see galaxies interacting or merging together, the upper small galaxy is NGC 5195. Our galaxy Milky Way maybe merging together with the Magellanic Cloud.

M51 2015-03-10, my first attempt to catch this weak galaxy

Date :	2015-03-10
Time (UT) :	21:35 to 22:01

Exp. time :	21x60 seconds, iso800
Weather :	clouds come and go, temperature -1o C

Comment :

M51 is about 10 times more far away than the Andromeda galaxy.

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