![Andromeda - Messier Object 31 and M110 [B_038508-22 DSS] | by Steven Christenson](http://live.staticflickr.com/6040/6220921576_91a513685d.jpg)
Andromeda - Messier Object 31 and M110 [B_038508-22 DSS]
This is just practice! I set up my Orion mount with my unmodified Canon 40D, 1.4 Extender, and 70-200mm f/4L at 200 mm in my backyard in San Jose. Limiting magnitude due to light pollution and the nearly full moon is about 3. Indeed if I didn't know where to look, the Andromeda Galaxy is not visible to the naked eye - and it wasn't easy to find in binoculars, either.
Despite the obstacles of light pollution, an 80% illuminated moon, some less than perfect seeing and operating near the dew point, this was the result. I kept dew at bay using my Dew Not system - but I think I may not have needed it provided I didn't breath in the direction of the lens.
The effective focal length of this system is 448 mm. This is a crop of about 2/3 of the full frame.
For this image I used the full compliment of calibration frames (Lights, darks, bias and flat frames). By comparison see below for what I got when not using the bias and flat frames). NOTE: If this terminology doesn't make sense to you, don't feel badly. It took a while to make sense to me and that's why I decided to create a starter class (a Webinar!) on Astrophotography.
If you're interested in trying your hand at Astrophotography and would like to get going without bankrupting yourself, you might find my "Astrophotography 101: Getting Started Without Getting Soaked" webinar a great help - it might even save you 100s (or thousands) of dollars on equipment purchases. Because I must pay hosting fees, (and have spent days writing materials) I must charge for the class.
You can check here for the latest classes workshops and webinars.
© Copyright 2011, Steven Christenson blog Events
All rights reserved. Curious what "all rights reserved means?" it means that without written permission you may not: copy, transmit, modify, use, print or display this image in any context other than as it appears in Flickr.
Andromeda - Messier Object 31 and M110 [B_038508-22 DSS]
This is just practice! I set up my Orion mount with my unmodified Canon 40D, 1.4 Extender, and 70-200mm f/4L at 200 mm in my backyard in San Jose. Limiting magnitude due to light pollution and the nearly full moon is about 3. Indeed if I didn't know where to look, the Andromeda Galaxy is not visible to the naked eye - and it wasn't easy to find in binoculars, either.
Despite the obstacles of light pollution, an 80% illuminated moon, some less than perfect seeing and operating near the dew point, this was the result. I kept dew at bay using my Dew Not system - but I think I may not have needed it provided I didn't breath in the direction of the lens.
The effective focal length of this system is 448 mm. This is a crop of about 2/3 of the full frame.
For this image I used the full compliment of calibration frames (Lights, darks, bias and flat frames). By comparison see below for what I got when not using the bias and flat frames). NOTE: If this terminology doesn't make sense to you, don't feel badly. It took a while to make sense to me and that's why I decided to create a starter class (a Webinar!) on Astrophotography.
If you're interested in trying your hand at Astrophotography and would like to get going without bankrupting yourself, you might find my "Astrophotography 101: Getting Started Without Getting Soaked" webinar a great help - it might even save you 100s (or thousands) of dollars on equipment purchases. Because I must pay hosting fees, (and have spent days writing materials) I must charge for the class.
You can check here for the latest classes workshops and webinars.
© Copyright 2011, Steven Christenson blog Events
All rights reserved. Curious what "all rights reserved means?" it means that without written permission you may not: copy, transmit, modify, use, print or display this image in any context other than as it appears in Flickr.