What can you see?

[Star Gazer]

Here is my first proper attempt at a DSO, so comments and criticism welcome. I should say this is a second posting since DSS would only give me a B&W version.

10 x 4 min (lights and darks) with my 7D, processed in PixInsight

Higher res here. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16060721/Astro%20Help/M31_1600x900.jpg

Now this might be a stupid question but, what am I looking at here? I know it is M31 but where do all the stars belong? Are they in the Milky Way, our galaxy or in between us and M31? I think they belong to the Milky Way but not too sure.

[rory]

great pic. the stars are in the milky way. of course other points of light might not be only stars.

[PreludeToADream]

Great first attempt, lovely picture. Yes the stars are in the milky way, like rory said.

[oldfruit]

Really nice image, you have captured the structure of the dust lanes very well. I have read on this forum that this can be a difficult target to capture well but looks like you have done it justice.

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

Looks great, and as stated above, the stars are part of our own galaxy.

Since realizing that, i've always felt like they're in the way in DSO images... It's like taking a photo through a net curtain...

Great photo though

[Star Gazer]

Looks great, and as stated above, the stars are part of our own galaxy.

Since realizing that, i've always felt like they're in the way in DSO images... It's like taking a photo through a net curtain...

Great photo though

Hey Jimmjamjoejoe I love your analogy. In fact as I was typing my post I was thinking it was like viewing M31 through a snow storm.

Thanks for all your kind comments!

[umadog]

That's really very nice indeed!