My 1st galaxy and I am over the moon

[Catanonia]

Managed to get my guiding kit working and so swung around to M51 for a quick test at 5 mins.

Also managed my 1st 3 star alignment on the EQ6 and everything just landed bang center :)


What you think, still need to focus properly.

[A.S.I.G.N. Observatory]

Now get 20 more the same and stack them. Well done! It's a good feeling isn't it?

Baz.

[deletedpenguin]

Wow, impressive!

...and now it starts... ;)

[chris.bailey]

Way to go! Great capture! Guiding is the way of the Jedi :-)

As Baz says get 2 hours worth of 5 minute subs and stack em up.

As you say focus needs a little refinement but only a nudge, I would also triple check your fore-aft balance with the cam and leads on as your stars are a little egg shaped. Could also be Polar Alignment as the guider is having to make significant adjustments in Dec rather than just RA.

[Catanonia]

I had some 30 second stacks, about 7 mins in all and about 1/2 hour processing and balancing got this.

This was unguided :) Shorter stacks looks like helping to reduce LP. On the look for a LP filter.

[Celestron]

You did really good ! I agree more for stacking makes a better image . The only thing i would change tho is leave off the spikes on the stars . With galaxies spikes take away but on stars clusters and some nebuleas spikes are ok kept to a minimum . Other than that your doing good !

[MidnightSun]

Some times depending on the ambient brightness, shorter subs do work better, unless you have a really dim subject. Nice going.....And I agree on manufactured spikes as well, unless you're shooting with a newt, and can't avoid it, I'd leave them alone.

[jmx]

You should be able to pull more brightness out of the galaxy. It's very dim. Maybe mask out the galaxy area and get more agressive on just that section of the image? Even your stars look a tad dim.

Congrats on the first shot.

Jon

[bennnjaamin]

Wow, how do you reach a galaxy? There are too many lights in NYC for me to get a picture of stars....

[jmx]

BTW, if you want to post a fits or 16bit tiff (with your dark already subtracted), maybe some of us could try processing it ourselves and see if we can pull more out?

[bull]

Great shot!!!

[dengar]

Wow, thats amazing.

[ejicon]

good catch. Very cool.