| 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 |
| Date : | 2023-02-27 |
| Time (UT) : | 21:17 to 21:56 |
| 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 crop of 40% |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 6D, controlled by Astroberry software |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 30x60 second at iso1600 |
| Image process tool : | Siril, Gimp, Irfanview |
| Processing : | cal dark, flat |
| Weather : | clear sky, no clouds but a bit foggy |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Hagsätra. Bortle class 9 |
| Comment : |
It could be interesting to compare what this 300 mm lens perform with the big TS130 APO refractor.
The photo from the TS130 below at date 2019-03-23.
|
| Date : | 2023-02-27 |
| Time (UT) : | 21:17 to 21:56 |
| Comment : |
A crop around the galaxy.
|
| Date : | 2019-03-23 |
| Time (UT) : | 20:48 to 21:40 |
| Mount : | Skywatcher EQ6 Pro controlled by EQMOD and APT |
| Guide : | PHD2in dithering mode and guide telescope 400 mm f/6.3 QHY5 |
| Lens/telescope : | TS130, 910mm f/7 |
| Corrector/Barlow : | Flat field corrector 3" x1 |
| Field (FOV) : | 2.25x1.5 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 6D, controlled by APT |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 30x60 seconds, iso1600 |
| Image process tool : | AstroImageJ, Fitswork, Irfanview |
| Processing : | demosaic, flat, hot pixel removed by dithering, level, 1:1 crop |
| Weather : | clear, full moon |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Hagsätra. Bortle class 9 |
| 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.
|
| Date : | 2019-03-19 |
| Time (UT) : | 20:11 to 21:36 |
| Mount : | Skywatcher EQ6 Pro controlled by EQMOD and APT |
| Guide : | PHD2 in dithering mode and guide telescope 400 mm f/6.3 QHY5 |
| Lens/telescope : | TS130, 910mm f/7 |
| Corrector/Barlow : | Flat field corrector 3" x1 |
| Field (FOV) : | 2.25x1.5 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 6D |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 60x60 seconds, iso1600 |
| Image process tool : | AstroImageJ, Fitswork, Irfanview |
| Processing : | demosaic, flat, hot pixel removed by dithering, level, 1:1 crop |
| Weather : | clear, full moon |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Hagsätra. Bortle class 9 |
| 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. |
| Date : | 2019-02-15 |
| Time (UT) : | 21:46 to 23:43 |
| Mount : | Skywatcher EQ6 Pro controlled by EQMOD and APT |
| Guide : | PHD2 in dithering mode and guide telescope 400 mm f/6.3 QHY5 |
| Lens/telescope : | TS130, 910mm f/7 |
| Corrector/Barlow : | Flat field corrector 3" x1 |
| Field (FOV) : | 2.25x1.5 degree, before cropping |
| Filter : | none |
| camera : | Canon 6D |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| 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 |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Hagsätra. Bortle class 9 |
| 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. |
| Date : | 2016-02-25 |
| Time (UT) : | 20:50 to 22:13 |
| 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 6D |
| Film/CCD : | Raw |
| Exp. time : | 60x60 seconds, iso800 |
| Image process tool : | Fitswork, Irfanview |
| Processing : | resize, level, dithering |
| Weather : | clear, full moon |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Hagsätra. Bortle class 9 |
| Comment : |
This galaxy is interesting. There is actually two galaxies that interacting on each other.
Hard to see here, look in the zoom in version next. |
| Comment : |
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. |
| Date : | 2015-03-10 |
| Time (UT) : | 21:35 to 22:01 |
| Mount : | Skywatcher EQ6 Pro controlled by EQMOD and APT |
| Guide : | PHD2 in 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 : | iso800 |
| Exp. time : | 21x60 seconds, iso800 |
| Weather : | clouds come and go |
| Site : | Sweden, Stockholm, Hagsätra. Bortle class 9 |
| Comment : |
M51 is more than 10 times more far away than the Andromeda galaxy. |
English
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