AndrewSingleton
The Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) and surrounding dwarf galaxies.
The Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) taken over 2 nights on the 26th and 27th February 2020. Also visible is NGC 5474 a dwarf galaxy in the bottom left and NGC5477 up and left of the pinwheel.
120 3-minute subs giving 6 hours of exposure with darks, flats and bias
ISO: 400.
Camera: - Nikon D3100.
Wireless Remote: PIXEL TW-283 DC2 2.4G.
Telescope: - Skywatcher 130PDS Newtonian.
Mount: - Skywatcher EQ6R.
Guiding: Skywatcher EvoGuide 50ED & ZWO ASI120MM-Mini.
Processing Software: Stacked in Deep Sky Stacker and edited in Star Tools.
Other Software: Stellarium Scope, Stellarium, All Sky Plate Solver, EQMOD, Poth Hub and PHD Guiding 2.
Moon: - New on day 1 and a slither on day 2.
Light Pollution and Location: - Bortle 8 in Davyhulme, Manchester.
Seeing: - Very good (At least comparatively to the last 6 months in Manchester which could be, for all I know, OK)
We had booked of 2 days to go on a city break however this had been curtailed due to the pandemic. Fortunately for the first time in a long time we have had an extended run of fine weather and stargazing. I am finally getting used to the equipment, on both nights I set up in the day, quickly did a polar alignment, quickly got things in focus, did some plate solving, started the guiding and set up the wireless remote to get going. Normally I’m faffing for most of the night, it is weird just being inside waiting for things to happen. The subs I was taking at 1.30am when the object was at the zenith were far superior than the ones taken before midnight. I’d be tempted to reprocess with just these at some point.
I’m still getting to grips with the processing side of things having obsessed over this image over the whole weekend. It would be great to get rid of all the noise but for now I’m giving it a rest.
Would welcome any feedback, good and/or constructive criticism!
The Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) and surrounding dwarf galaxies.
The Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) taken over 2 nights on the 26th and 27th February 2020. Also visible is NGC 5474 a dwarf galaxy in the bottom left and NGC5477 up and left of the pinwheel.
120 3-minute subs giving 6 hours of exposure with darks, flats and bias
ISO: 400.
Camera: - Nikon D3100.
Wireless Remote: PIXEL TW-283 DC2 2.4G.
Telescope: - Skywatcher 130PDS Newtonian.
Mount: - Skywatcher EQ6R.
Guiding: Skywatcher EvoGuide 50ED & ZWO ASI120MM-Mini.
Processing Software: Stacked in Deep Sky Stacker and edited in Star Tools.
Other Software: Stellarium Scope, Stellarium, All Sky Plate Solver, EQMOD, Poth Hub and PHD Guiding 2.
Moon: - New on day 1 and a slither on day 2.
Light Pollution and Location: - Bortle 8 in Davyhulme, Manchester.
Seeing: - Very good (At least comparatively to the last 6 months in Manchester which could be, for all I know, OK)
We had booked of 2 days to go on a city break however this had been curtailed due to the pandemic. Fortunately for the first time in a long time we have had an extended run of fine weather and stargazing. I am finally getting used to the equipment, on both nights I set up in the day, quickly did a polar alignment, quickly got things in focus, did some plate solving, started the guiding and set up the wireless remote to get going. Normally I’m faffing for most of the night, it is weird just being inside waiting for things to happen. The subs I was taking at 1.30am when the object was at the zenith were far superior than the ones taken before midnight. I’d be tempted to reprocess with just these at some point.
I’m still getting to grips with the processing side of things having obsessed over this image over the whole weekend. It would be great to get rid of all the noise but for now I’m giving it a rest.
Would welcome any feedback, good and/or constructive criticism!