M31: Bortle 8, OSC

[Lee_P]

The first broadband target for my new Askar 130PHQ! This was just 10 hours of integration time from a Bortle 8 city centre using a ZWO ASI2600MC-Pro camera. No filters. I like M31 photos with dark dusty lanes, so tried to make those quite contrasty. More image details on my website here.

 

* November 2022
* Bristol, UK (Bortle 8 )
* Telescope: Askar 130PHQ Flatfield Astrograph
* Camera: ZWO ASI 2600MC-PRO
* Filter: None
* Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R PRO
* Guide: William Optics 50mm Guidescope with 1.25″ RotoLock; ZWO ASI 120MM Mini
* Control: ASIAIR Plus
* Software: PixInsight, Lightroom
* 300 x 120 seconds

Total integration time: 10 hours

By Lee Pullen

[Steve143]

That's a great image! I'm still collecting data on M31 in Bortle 7, but with all the clouds we've had recently it's taking a while to get enough data captured.   

[Lee_P]

9 minutes ago, Steve143 said:

That's a great image! I'm still collecting data on M31 in Bortle 7, but with all the clouds we've had recently it's taking a while to get enough data captured.   

I know right, the weather's been really awful lately. Hence me stopping with just 10 hours of data!

[ollypenrice]

Well done! Lovely management of the very extreme dynamic range in this part of the target.

Olly

[tomato]

Really nice, wonderful crisp detail on the dust lanes. 
Your images kill the adage that you can’t image broadband from a light polluted location, you just need your level of patience and dedication.

[mackiedlm]

Thats a fantastic image. Well done.

 

[Pompey Monkey]

Lovely job!!

[Ouroboros]

That’s an excellent image. Colour balance is spot on to my preference.  I am amazed this was taken under Bortle 8 and with no filter. Your single sub on your website looks horribly light polluted. Just shows what’s possible with the correct use of software.  The stars look nice and tight right out to the corners too. 

[Lee_P]

12 hours ago, Ouroboros said:

That’s an excellent image. Colour balance is spot on to my preference.  I am amazed this was taken under Bortle 8 and with no filter. Your single sub on your website looks horribly light polluted. Just shows what’s possible with the correct use of software.  The stars look nice and tight right out to the corners too. 

Thanks, to be honest I was surprised it came out so well considering it's just 10 hours. It's weird how this f7.7 'scope feels like it gets decent signal faster than my previous f5.6 when it should be half the speed (before binning).

[newbie alert]

Fantastic job Lee...