There are Five Galaxies Visible in this Image, but it is a 250-degree Panorama

[DirkSteele]

I am quite pleased how this turned out as it is only my second attempt at a panorama, and I know I did not really level the tripod that well.

Taken last year on holiday in Mozambique in mid-July around 4am local time, this is a 10-pane panorama using an unmodified Canon 70D, 14mm lens (22mm equivalent on the crop sensor) at f/2.8, ISO 3,200 and each exposure was 25 seconds.  Three of the galaxies are easy, one a little trickier, and one might need a closer look.

The image was stiched using Microsoft ICE and then processed in Lightroom.

[DirkSteele]

The reality is there is a lot more than 5 galaxies in this image.  This second image below was quite painstaking to put together as Astrometry.net refused to work on either the Pano or each individual frame.  So, iPad in hand, I used Sky Safari 5 Pro to trace out each visible constellation (tricky when thousands of stars are visible), picking out as many DSOs as I could locate as I moved along the image.  No doubt I missed one or two, but at final count there were 43 identified. 

I hope SGL does not compress too much otherwise some of them may vanish from view.

If you want a lost of everything I found, there is a table on the link:  http://alpha-lyrae.co.uk/2020/08/01/there-are-five-galaxies-visible-in-this-panorama/

Edited August 4, 2020 by DirkSteele
added link

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Really nice. I could readily pick out the LMC and SMC, along with M33 and M31 and of course our own galaxy. Lots of other goodies there, of course

[MarkAR]

Lovely image.

[Craney]

Wow !!!... that is some shot.   

Having lived in the Southern hemisphere myself  for a few years I found  it  does take time to accustomise yourself to the sky being 'upside' down . I always tended to use the Northern constellations as a reference.  ie  in your shot I spotted the Square of Pegasus and then I was up and running.

 

[DirkSteele]

17 minutes ago, Craney said:

Wow !!!... that is some shot.   

Having lived in the Southern hemisphere myself  for a few years I found  it  does take time to accustomise yourself to the sky being 'upside' down . I always tended to use the Northern constellations as a reference.  ie  in your shot I spotted the Square of Pegasus and then I was up and running.

 

I do similar when I am down there. Once I am orientated I can usually work my way into the Southern constellations. Though I will never get used to Orion being upside down!

[JeremyS]

Cracking image Matthew @DirkSteele!

[jock1958]

17 minutes ago, DirkSteele said:

I do similar when I am down there. Once I am orientated I can usually work my way into the Southern constellations. Though I will never get used to Orion being upside down!

Cracking image Matthew. I went to Cape Town a couple of years ago and like you couldn’t get my head around Orion upside down and so high in the sky! 

[Tom OD]

Cool.

Tom