M51 Widefield

[Scooot]

 

Taken with my baby tak on the star adventurer which is 355mm focal length, 373mm with the flattener, f6.2. It was unguided so I couldn’t go much longer than 1.25mins. I ended up imaging at ISO1600 instead of ISO400 because I forgot to change it back after I’d found the galaxy. That was interesting with no goto and the Galaxy high overhead. At ISO1600 I was expecting the lower dynamic range to reduce my colours etc but it was better than I’d expected. I wouldn’t have had time to image 4 times longer so maybe it turned out for the best. Anyway it’s clearly the Whirlpool.  

Edited April 17, 2020 by Scooot

[StargeezerTim]

That's definitely M 51!  Well found 😀.

 

How many exposures?

 

 

[Scooot]

30 minutes ago, StargeezerTim said:

That's definitely M 51!  Well found 😀.

 

How many exposures?

 

 

Thanks Tim, best 70 of a 100. 

[Scooot]

I've just noticed the Southern Integral Sign (NGC 5173) in the image as well. Its an Ellipitcal Galaxy 126 million light years from our solar system. I don't know its surface brightness but it looks quite faint. 

Edited April 17, 2020 by Scooot

[orion25]

Excellent, Richard! Your efforts paid off in spades. Gorgeous Whirlpool, and you caught the Southern Integral Sign, too. Bravo!

Regards,

Reggie  

[Scooot]

Thanks Reggie, very nice of you to say so. I quite like the lost in space look of wide-ish views. The galaxies look very small in the image so it’s mind boggling to think that the Southern Integral Sign has a diameter of over 40 thousand light years.