Andromeda M31 from 31 South

[Ross G]

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:confused2:

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]

Sensational image Ross. A great effort.

Greg.

[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

[alpal]

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

[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

[hobbit]

very nice

[RickS]

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

[strongmanmike]

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

Mike

[multiweb]

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

[DJT]

Great result Ross. A really nice image.:thumbsup:

[Placidus]

Superb.

[IanP]

Congratulations Ross, superb image :thumbsup:

[Paul Haese]

Nice Ross. Smooth and well detailed.

[Camelopardalis]

Beautiful Ross, well done :thumbsup:

[rmuhlack]

Superb :thumbsup:

[Tony_]

Great image!

[Geoff45]

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

[Ross G]

Thanks Greg.

I try to improve on it each year.



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!



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

[Ross G]

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.



Thank you.

.
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]

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.

.

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



Thanks David.

[Ross G]

Thanks Mike...means a lot!



Glad you like it Ian.
Thank you.



Thanks Paul. Glad you like it.
Doubling the exposure time did not improve the detail but did reduce the noise giving the smooth tones.
I'm going to experiment more with combining exposures of different sessions.

[Ross G]

Glad you like it Dunk. Thanks.


Thanks Richard. As with your DSLRs I'm finding that with enough exposure the OSC ccd produces good results.



Thanks Tony!



High praise Geoff...thank you!
You're in a perfect spot at Wiruna to give a shot this winter.

[astronobob]

Sensational Ross, a great scope in the hands of yourself make the perfect combination = Top Class :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[SimmoW]

magnificent Ross.

[NOMH]

Its one of my favorite targets along with a couple others that I try every year. That is quite a reach from where you are and you've done well with it.

JB

[Ross G]

Glad you like it Bob. Thank you!
However, the biggest factor, way above my meagre processing skills or modest 4" scope, is the dark Coonabarabran sky.
It makes so much difference!



Thanks Simon.



Nice feedback. Thank you John.

I would love one day to image it from the northern hemisphere!

[Logieberra]

That's a beauty Ross. I'm tempted to come north and capture this beauty! I've wanted to for some years now. It's a near perfect target for the FSQ.

[Kunama]

You won't believe who's image you have just bumped off my desktop Ross.
Love it !!!

[Ross G]

Glad you like it Logan. Thank you.

You should come north to Coona and try it later this year.
The dark skies there are amazing!



High praise Matti.
Thank you!

[theodog]

Nice one Ross.

Sometimes one needs a shot like this to remind one of the quality of one's skies. :thumbsup:

[Shiraz]

really amazing effort Ross. you must have found some really stable sky to get that much detail through the murk.

[Ross G]

You're a lucky man Jeff...you live at the end of the rainbow!

I hope you take advantage of your amazing dark skies.



Thanks Ray.Glad you like it.
I have photographed M31 from Coonabarabran every year for at least the last 5 years and the detail has always been good. The dark skies there are amazing.
Well worth the 6 hour drive from Sydney.

[Leonardo70]

Congrats Ross ... great result!

All the best,
Leo

[Elio]

Great job Ross, but I think you should pull out other stuff with your deep integration... though latitude is a madness ;)

[Ross G]

Sorry for the late reply guys. I just got back from New Zealand.



Thank yo Elio.
It is a difficult object because of the latitude but I try to get it every year and the dark skies of Coonabarabran do help.



Thank you Leo. Glad you like it.

[kkara4]

this is just fantastic. it is so epic i wasnt sure what to type. so i sat inspecting it for 30 minutes while eating brekky, just enjoying the scape :D:eyepop::thumbsup:

[Ross G]

High praise!

Thank you Krishan...the end result of many cold nights!

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

Great Andromeda Ross!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Great to see the HA regions, subtle detail throughout.

Cheers,

Justin.

[kkara4]

worth every minute :). do you worry about having the equipment set up EXACTLY the same every night in terms of PA, camera orientation, etc for multiple night imaging?

[Ross G]

Thanks Justin.
I saw the little red regions but did not know they were Ha areas.

[Ross G]

When we go away we usually set up the equipment the first night and then leave it set up for 3 or 4 nights we are there. We take the actual telescope and cameras in at the end of each night but leave the mounts out, covered.
A simple mark on the dovetail allows us to put the telescope back in the same place each night. It is rare to have to re-adjust the polar alignment.
Shooting at only 540mm focal length does help.

[atalas]

Top work mate!

[Ross G]

Thank you Louie.

From you......high praise!

[marco]

Excellent image Ross for an object that is at best at 20 degrees on the horizon! Your image of M45 was one of the reason I decided to give M45 a try as well from Coona, don't tell me now that I will have to try M31 as well :doh::question::D
Inspirational image, thanks for posting!
Clear skies
Marco

[Bilou]

I like it !

It's very funny to compare from one year to another. ;)
At home, M31 is at the zenith ...

Clear skies.

[Ross G]

Thank you Bilou.
I have been imaging M31 every year for the last 7 years and it is interesting comparing the results.
You are so lucky to have M31 overhead!

[Ross G]

Hello Marco. Welcome back.

It is you that has inspired me with your great photos.

Coonabarabran is such an amazing place for astrophotography.

I would love to see an M31 photographed with your equipment and skills.

Thank you.

[Rex]

Top Shot Ross! Really nice detail.

[ChrisM]

Fantastic image Ross. Your hard work has been well rewarded.

Chris

[Ross G]

Glad you like it Rex.

Thank you.


Much appreciated Chris.

Getting a good photo makes sitting out all night in the dark and in the cold worthwhile.

Thanks!

[AlexSavoy]

Very impressive. No doubt one of my favorite things in the night sky. Hopefully one day I can image it myself.

[Ross G]

Thanks Alex.

It is a beautiful object...and not too difficult to image.

A 200mm lens and a DSLR...you'd be surprised!

[Q.]

Great picture I love it !
Cheers
Q

[Ross G]

Thanks Quentin, glad you like it.
Pyrmont...a dangerous spot...just around the corner from Bintel!