a. v. ley
M51 2K CW
The “Whirlpool Galaxy,” M51. This image is a continuing work-in-progress. Data obtained were: 2 hours of Luminance, 3 hours of Hα and one hour each of R, G and B. All data except for the Hα was obtained at GNTO. The Hα data was obtained from my light-polluted Albuquerque backyard. The equipment used was an ASI 1600 mm camera mounted on a Celestron 11” HD OTA with a focal reducer operating at 1960mm focal length and f/7. Data was obtained using SGPro sequencing software. Processing was done using PixInsight and Lightroom. The image was cropped for aesthetics.
M51, also known as “The Whirlpool Galaxy” consists of two galaxies: the larger NGC 5194 and the smaller NGC 5195. M51 is located about 23 million light-years away in the direction of the constellation Canes Venatici. It is a favorite target for beginning amateurs, being easily found by star hopping from eta Ursa Major (Alkaid) to the middle star of an arc of three stars total (including Alkaid) curling under the handle of the big dipper. Directly beneath that arc, in approximately the direction of Arcturus, is a small triangle of stars. M51 is next to this triangle, positioned so that the triangle is between the star in the middle of the arc and M51. In binoculars, it presents as a very faint smudge. I have to check my glasses to make sure I’m not confusing it with dirty lenses. In a larger instrument its structure is much more obvious.
M51 2K CW
The “Whirlpool Galaxy,” M51. This image is a continuing work-in-progress. Data obtained were: 2 hours of Luminance, 3 hours of Hα and one hour each of R, G and B. All data except for the Hα was obtained at GNTO. The Hα data was obtained from my light-polluted Albuquerque backyard. The equipment used was an ASI 1600 mm camera mounted on a Celestron 11” HD OTA with a focal reducer operating at 1960mm focal length and f/7. Data was obtained using SGPro sequencing software. Processing was done using PixInsight and Lightroom. The image was cropped for aesthetics.
M51, also known as “The Whirlpool Galaxy” consists of two galaxies: the larger NGC 5194 and the smaller NGC 5195. M51 is located about 23 million light-years away in the direction of the constellation Canes Venatici. It is a favorite target for beginning amateurs, being easily found by star hopping from eta Ursa Major (Alkaid) to the middle star of an arc of three stars total (including Alkaid) curling under the handle of the big dipper. Directly beneath that arc, in approximately the direction of Arcturus, is a small triangle of stars. M51 is next to this triangle, positioned so that the triangle is between the star in the middle of the arc and M51. In binoculars, it presents as a very faint smudge. I have to check my glasses to make sure I’m not confusing it with dirty lenses. In a larger instrument its structure is much more obvious.