Andromeda M31 from 31 South

Ross G · #1 25-03-2015, 10:34 PM

Hello,

Another photo from my Coonabarabran (latitude 31.3 degrees south) dark site trip last July.

My favourite object in the entire sky.....M31 The Andromeda Galaxy.

I have photographed M31 every year since I started digital astrophotography over 7 years ago.
I realised that the M31 photos I took at Coonabarabran last July were with the same equipment and from the same location with the same framing as the ones I took in October 2013 so I combined them.
This is new stuff for me having only tried it once before

The result is my longest exposure ever for an astrophoto - 1328 minutes comprising 147 sub frames of 20 minute and 10 minute exposures.

I hope you like it.

The photo is here http://smu.gs/1BLNxPw

Full resolution is here http://smu.gs/1DYkGyz

Thanks for looking.

Ross.

TELEVUE NP101 101mm F5.4 REFRCTOR
QHY8L OSC CCD
SKYWATCHER NEQ6Pro MOUNT

WO 66mm GUIDESCOPE
QHY5 II GUIDE CAMERA

PHD2 for GUIDING
EZYCAP for CAPTURE
PROCESSING with DEEP SKY STACKER and PHOTOSHOP CS2

gregbradley · #2 25-03-2015, 11:53 PM

Sensational image Ross. A great effort.

Greg.

Stevec35 (Steve) · #3 26-03-2015, 12:20 AM

Excellent stuff Ross! It's not incredibly high in the sky even from Coona and you've produced a result that most northerners would be pretty happy with.

Cheers

Steve

alpal · #4 26-03-2015, 06:32 AM

Lovely shot - I wish I could image this from Melbourne
but it's just too low in the North.

rustigsmed (Russell) · #5 26-03-2015, 09:22 AM

great image Ross,

do you think you'll add more data next year and so forth?

its definitely on the list but like other southerners i'm going to have to take a week off work and venture up north to bag as many northern targets as possible.

cheers

hobbit · #6 26-03-2015, 09:26 AM

very nice

RickS (Rick) · #7 26-03-2015, 10:26 AM

Congrats, Ross. A great result for a challenging target!

strongmanmike (Michael) · #8 26-03-2015, 11:11 AM

Yes, a really good result from a mid southern latitude Ross, lot of time spent on that mate, congrats

Mike

multiweb (Marc) · #9 26-03-2015, 01:57 PM

Great shot Ross. An effort spanning a couple of years.

DJT (David) · #10 26-03-2015, 02:35 PM

Great result Ross. A really nice image.

Placidus (Mike and Trish) · #11 26-03-2015, 04:18 PM

Superb.

IanP · #12 26-03-2015, 04:31 PM

Congratulations Ross, superb image

Paul Haese · #13 26-03-2015, 09:48 PM

Nice Ross. Smooth and well detailed.

Camelopardalis (Dunk) · #14 26-03-2015, 10:59 PM

Beautiful Ross, well done

rmuhlack (Richard) · #15 26-03-2015, 11:26 PM

Superb

Tony_ (Tony) · #16 26-03-2015, 11:48 PM

Great image!

Geoff45 (Geoff) · #17 27-03-2015, 07:11 AM

Sensational image Ross, especially from this latitude. A galaxy I keep meaning to return to, but never quite manage it.
Geoff

Ross G · #18 27-03-2015, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Sensational image Ross. A great effort.

Greg.

Thanks Greg.

I try to improve on it each year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevec35

Excellent stuff Ross! It's not incredibly high in the sky even from Coona and you've produced a result that most northerners would be pretty happy with.

Cheers

Steve

Thank you Steve...high praise!

Yes, even at Coona it just gets to 14 degrees above the horizon very briefly. There is no time to waste!

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpal

Lovely shot - I wish I could image this from Melbourne
but it's just too low in the North.

Thanks Allan. You need to bring your gear to Coona for a shot.
You'll be hooked!

Ross G · #19 27-03-2015, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustigsmed

great image Ross,

do you think you'll add more data next year and so forth?

its definitely on the list but like other southerners i'm going to have to take a week off work and venture up north to bag as many northern targets as possible.

cheers

Glad you like it Russell. Thank you.
I will try to add to it each year. Unfortunately I only imaged twice last year and this year is looking worse!
As I said to Allan, you should come up to Coona for a week.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobbit

very nice

Thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickS

Congrats, Ross. A great result for a challenging target!

.
Glad you like it Rick. Thank you.
It is a difficult target. you would cringe at how low the telescope is pointing for some of the subs!

Ross G · #20 27-03-2015, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Yes, a really good result from a mid southern latitude Ross, lot of time spent on that mate, congrats

Mike

Thanks Mike...very pleased you like it!
This photo was over double the exposure I have ever attempted.
I honestly could not see that much difference to the original 10 hour effort.
Maybe more in the noise than in extra detail.

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Great shot Ross. An effort spanning a couple of years.

.

Thanks Marc. Glad you like it.
Two years but in reality only 4 imaging sessions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJT

Great result Ross. A really nice image.

Thanks David.