Intro:
The image you are seeing right now is a little bit over 20 hours of exposition, over two years. Every single image was taken in my backyard, under an average sky and a bortle 7. Because the sky was not that good, I had to trash a lot of images and shoot under the rare moonless nights. Since I started about 3 years ago, this image is one of the biggest projects and accomplishments I have ever done in astrophotography.
Equipment used (over two years):
Telescope: Celestron Edge HD 8” @ F/7
Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro
Imaging cameras: ZWO ASI294MM Pro & ZWO ASI2600MM
Filters: Baader HaLRGB CMOS Optimized 31mm & Antlia Ha 3nm Pro 31mm
Guiding system: Celestron Off-Axis Guider
Guiding camera: ZWO ASI174MM Mini
Acquisition software: ASIair Plus
Others: 3D printed Spikes for the Edge HD 8”
(Pre)Processing softwares: AstroPixelProcessor, PixInsight & PhotoShop
Object description:
The Whirlpool Galaxy, or M51, is a stunning spiral galaxy located 23 million light-years away in the Canes Venatici constellation. It is known for its swirling spiral arms and interaction with the companion galaxy NGC 5195, resulting in intense star formation. M51 offers valuable insights into galactic dynamics and serves as a captivating target for astronomers.