M31 from Cambroon - My first Galaxy!

[AlexN]

Finally I got out to a site where I could image M31!! :)

Canon 350D + Megrez 102
15x100sec ISO800 exposures
15x110sec ISO1600 exposures
No calibration frames, it needed darks, but I didnt do them (YET) will clean it up during this week and re-post...

Im happy with it as is at the moment.! :D

[[1ponders]]

Nice one Alex.

See I told you it was too big. ;) :lol:

[AlexN]

:P close enough... that was without the reducer :D

[Tilt]

Nice looking M31. Unguided? If so, you certainly know how to polar align with accuracy.

Michael

[AlexN]

I've read every review around for polar alignment... It was by no means perfect, but it wasnt bad...

Thanks for the comment Michael! :)

[Hagar]

Very nice Alex. I'm jealous.... Can't image M31 from here.
Did you get your guiding sorted out this weekend?

Nice work.

[AlexN]

Yep.. Paul sorted my guiding..... was running 10 min subs on M42 early this morning...

Im in the process of... processing them at the moment...

LOTS of nebula coming out in them though... :)
I didnt however try it with the QHY8, they were taken with the 350D... I'll be giving it a go guiding + QHY8 in the next few nights... After seeing how good it worked, I dare say it'll be fine. :)

[Dennis]

Lovely image Alex.

Cheers

Dennis

[Matty P]

I agree. A fine image Alex. It is not an easy object to image but you have done a great job with it.

Well done. :thumbsup:

[Davros]

Fantastic, bet your happy with that.

[matt]

Good work, Alex:thumbsup:

I've never produced a DSO image....so you are well ahead of me.

[spearo]

great shot
well done!
frank

[Glenhuon]

Nice work Alex. Great when it all starts coming together :thumbsup:

Bill

[jjjnettie]

Look at those whisps of dust arcing up over the core.
(or is it just my dirty monitor?)
Very nice Alex.

[h0ughy]

nice one Alex - you must be chuffed with that result

[AlexN]

Very much so.. especially for such short exposure.....

[cookie8]

Very nice indeed Alex.:2thumbs: Hoping to get my M31 this weekend at Lostock.:thumbsup:

[AlexN]

Good luck Vincent! Just remember, its BIG!! BIIIG! 3° across give or take...

Thanks everyone for the kind words, I'm stoked with the image, and the fact that you all like it! :) I've been wanting to image andromeda since I first saw an image of it... now I just want to do it DEEPER!! :)

Cheers.
Alex.

[Octane]

Alex,

Nicely done.

More exposures should help ease the noise.

I can't wait to try this one, as well. I've been out of the loop for a year and really miss the battle of imaging.

Regards,
Humayun

[Bassnut]

Having just tried this with a "real" cam in the NH, thats a pretty awesome result from the SH with a DSLR. Well done, the hard way :thumbsup:

[AlexN]

Thanks Humayun & Fred.

Fred - I Love your M31 shot from NH, its my desktop background! :) Mine is such a quick slap together... I'll be having another go from the same dark sky (provided I can get there) this weekend, or next month... in any case, it will be done with the QHY8, rather than the DSLR, so I'll be one step towards a nicer image...

[RobF]

That's spectacular Alex! I'd be stoked with that.

Alas - the Newt field of view only took in the nucleus and closer companion - and nothing like the clarity and brightness you've got there either.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Alchemy]

looks nice, just wish it was higher on the horizon down here.

[AlexN]

Thanks Rob and Clive...

Rob, I'd like to see the result from the 8" newtonian.. should have gathered a bit of detail in that small area!

Clive, I hear you.. Here it gets to... oh, 23~26° maybe a touch higher... And I still wish it got higher... I'd like to see it at 75 - 80!! would be a prime target! :)

[RobF]

Well if you learn from your mistakes I should have learned lots from my measley effort. I WANT this galaxy though. Has spurred me on to sort out polar alignment properly and get autoguiding going.

(ummm, and shoot at a lower ISO, and buy K3ccdtools, and.....an ED80, and......help!)

1. 1 x 120 sec (450D @ 1600 ICNR)
2. 72 x 75 sec (450D @ 1600 ICNR)

[[1ponders]]

Rob you don't need 1600 ISO for this sucker, it's pretty bright. Have a look at this one, it's only 2 images @ ISO800 for 8 minutes

M31 from Coolabine (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=48345)

[RobF]

:2thumbs::party2::party::cheers:

Wow - one day.....one day.......

[atalas]

Nice looking shot Alex.

[AlexN]

Thanks mate... Next time it will be done with the 0.8x reducer, so it all fits in, the QHY8, and with autoguiding working :) should be a lot better next time :) Either that, or depending on how finances go, I should have Hyperstar running on my C11 by then.. :) C11 @ F/2 + QHY8 oughta pull it out nicely..

[Jen]

:eyepop: Alex your pictures are coming out great :thumbsup: keep up the good work