M101 the Pinwheel Galaxy (first time imaging this target)

[Chefgage]

M101 The Pinwheel Galaxy, imaged using the Star adventurer pro mount.

Capture information

Star adventurer pro
ASIAIR pro
Skywatcher 72ed refractor
Canon 200D modified
CLS light Pollution filter
ZWO ASI120mm mini guide scope

Bortle 8 Skies

Stacked in DSS and processed in GIMP

ISO 800EXP 120s
Lights 61
Darks 0
Flats 40
Bias 40

Moon percentage 0%
Half way through image session moon angular distance Below horizon 

Total exposure time 2 hr 2 minutes 

First time imaging the Pinwheel Galaxy.  Thought it was a good time to try as it was a new moon and no cloud!

Uncropped

 

 

Cropped

Edited April 13, 2021 by Chefgage

[scotty38]

Nice image. Did you choose to not take darks purely and simply based on the time it takes or other reasons? As an aside I built myself a dark library "offline" as it were to save this exact issue.

[Chefgage]

41 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

Nice image. Did you choose to not take darks purely and simply based on the time it takes or other reasons? As an aside I built myself a dark library "offline" as it were to save this exact issue.

I did a side by side comparison whilst processing.  I did this a while back by stacking the same set of lights with darks and then without darks.  These two stacked images were then processed at the same time in GIMP using the exact same methods and settings.  The overall processed images were practically the same.  I could not see any real improvement using the darks.  As the dslr is not cooled then as is often the case the darks can make the image worse or not really improve things.

[scotty38]

Ah ok thanks, makes for an easier life then I guess....