Quick and Dirty M101

[peonic]

So last night pretty much everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I wont bore you with all the details - but it involved my cat, my big feet and a USB cable, my laptop battery falling out, a police helicopter, satellites in subs, PHD crashing on me randomly.....

You get the picture!

Anyway, my girlfriend decided that she wanted me to image a spiral - despite me telling her that M51 and M101 were poorly placed, she was insistant, so I snagged what M101 data I could before it dissappeared behind my garage. This probably needed at least 2 hours of data, and I was only able to get about 45 minutes (at least an hour and 30 mins lost to various issues - which I think could have made this a really nice image if converted to extra exposure).

SW 250PX

Atik 16HR

Astronomik CLS Filter (it was murky imaging down this low!)

Guided with PHD

9x300s

(click to enlarge)

Processed in Maxim DL and Photoshop. Going to leave this one now until next year when it's nice and high in the sky - and return to more sensible targets

Comments / Criticism / Pointers appreciated!

Chris

[Vega]

Wonderful considering it's location at the mo. I can only dream of having the resources for such capture's

Vega

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Good start Chris, try it binned if the seeing is poor, you wont get good enough resolution to use the unbinned setting anyway and that way you'll get the shot much faster (4X with 2X binning etc.)

Kaptain Klevtsov

[CELESCOPE]

you got that nailed ok Chris , no problem for you,good to the core and nice arms just missing that little bit of outer detail , but as you say ,these are always best imaged as high as poss , would,nt even bother low down,

excellent starting for you imaging Chris

Rog

[MikeD]

great job, very nice dust lane detail.

Mike.

[themos]

9x300s

For a second, I thought you were describing your binoculars and I went "WHAAAAAT!"

[centroid]

Well, she can't argue with that Chis, its definitely a spiral galaxy

Given the conditions under which it was taken, and the limited exposure, I'd say that was a very repectable result. Well done!!.

Dave

[proflight2000]

Gawd, quick and dirty??? Id love to be able to get something like that in three weeks let alone 45 minutes, great picture.

[barkis]

What a naughty description of such a beautiful galaxy. Nothing dirty about it.

I think its magnificent.

Ron.

[MartinB]

He he, I recognise that sort of imaging scenario. I agree with Mike, the dusty features have come out particularly well, good going

[jonifive]

Great image Chris. At least your GF is interested....my wife thinks I'm a plonker always looking out of the window to see if the clouds have cleared off!!!

JV