Another M51 (with knobs on!)

[petevasey]

It's many years since I imaged M51 -  the last time was in 2011 shortly before a supernova was discovered, and then the supernova itself.   This last week or so with all the clear nights I've been catching some fainter objects.  But last night was yet again clear (please God I need to sleep!) so I decided to go for an easier target and since it was almost directly overhead had a go at M51 despite the crescent Moon in the West.  With this result.  QSI683 with SX AO unit on RC10.  Luminance 11 x 10 minutes, RGB each 5 x 10 minutes, all binned 2x2.

But there's more to M51 than meets the eye as witness the heavily stretched version.  Obviously that will need much more data to lose the heavy background noise. but it's interesting to see how far out the faint extensions go.  It'll have to be next year now.  So again, please God let me live that long!

Cheers,

Peter.

 

 

Edited April 17, 2021 by petevasey

[geeklee]

That looks great Pete and I like your ultra stretched version.  I'd done the same with mine and seen just how far that left hand side (in your image) starts to almost join up.  Fantastic.

[petevasey]

Thanks, Lee

I've ignored M51 for too long!  As you would see, I'd binned 2x2, partly because of matching pixel size to focal length (the QSI 683 binned 2x2 on 2000 mm fl gives 1.11 arc-secs per pixel) and partly because for many targets lower in the sky seeing just isn't good enough to justify finer resolution.  But with M51 so high in late Winter/ early Spring, I'm determined to give it a proper work out next year.  IF (and yes, it's a big if) I get enough clear nights with good seeing, I'll go unbinned luminance (probably bin colour to save time) and try for around 30 hours of data.  Hopefully then I'll be able to really do it justice.

Incidentally at New Moon this April 18th I had 5 1/4 hours of full darkness.  But for you in NE Scotland (I've assumed Inverness) it was 4 1/2 hours.  And no more now until August (I get a couple of hours early May).  Frustrating for you.  Depending on where you are exactly I daresay you have access to extremely dark skies.  But Scottish weather.......  Just have to enjoy roamin' in the gloamin' 🙂

Slainte,

Peter

[geeklee]

5 hours ago, petevasey said:

IF (and yes, it's a big if) I get enough clear nights with good seeing, I'll go unbinned luminance (probably bin colour to save time) and try for around 30 hours of data.  Hopefully then I'll be able to really do it justice.

That will be an image worth waiting for.  I hope you get the clear skies to dedicate to that.

5 hours ago, petevasey said:

Incidentally at New Moon this April 18th I had 5 1/4 hours of full darkness.  But for you in NE Scotland (I've assumed Inverness) it was 4 1/2 hours.  And no more now until August (I get a couple of hours early May).  Frustrating for you.

Close, I'm a little further south near Aberdeen, I've got a small amount left.  There are dark skies close(ish) by but for me, it's suburban skies.  You're right though, they'll be gone by May then nautical darkness gone not long after!

5 hours ago, petevasey said:

But Scottish weather.......  Just have to enjoy roamin' in the gloamin' 🙂

😁 It's the only option!

Edited April 18, 2021 by geeklee

[CraigT82]

Beautiful M51! Really nice work 

[Roy Foreman]

Very nice image - I love the little, or rather distant, galaxy at the north western edge.