M31 Andromeda Galaxy

by mikeyscope

The Andromeda Galaxy can be found within the constellation of Andromeda hence the name. However this galaxy lies far beyond the foreground stars of our own home Milkyway Galaxy, the foreground stars being no more than a few hundred to a few thousand light years distant while the Andromeda Galaxy lies almost 2.5 million light years away and is larger than our own Milkyway Galaxy...half as large again. Every galaxy including our own Milkway has a black hole at their centre, the Andromeda Galaxy it seems has two, our Milkyway Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy are on collision course and will merge together sometime in the distant future. In orbit around it are two small elliptical galaxies M32 and NGC205.

Pentax K5
Pentax 800mm lens @ f8
Equatorial drive tracking at siderial rate, unguided
Exp. 4x 5min subs (Quick & dirty - no dark frames - no flat fields - no bias frames)
ISO 800

Processed in 'Deep Sky Stacker' & Photoshop CS5

Kielder (Northumberland) 28/10/2011
Uploaded13/12/2011 - 03:10
CategorySpecialist / Abstract
Shutter SpeedN/A
Aperturef/8
LensN/A
ISO800
Focal Length800mm

NSANTOS
Posted 13/12/2011 - 06:28 Link
Star Trek , nice shot, I like.
best regards.
davidtrout
Posted 13/12/2011 - 09:59 Link
Stunning and mind blowing image. Thanks for that and the information.
David
alfpics
Posted 13/12/2011 - 11:52 Link
Great image!
Andy
Andy
pianoman
Posted 13/12/2011 - 12:08 Link
I dont know a lot about planets but know a good shot when I see one !!! Great stuff
All the best

David
focus
Posted 13/12/2011 - 12:23 Link
WOW! - "Beam me up scotty!" - mary.
sandinista
Posted 13/12/2011 - 15:42 Link
Totally incredible shot and very humbling to think how insignificant we are in the vastness of the universe
Great simplicity is only won by an intense moment or by years of intelligent effort. T.S Eliot

Gear Not enough!!
PPG
Flickr
My not so new website
petemasty
Posted 13/12/2011 - 17:14 Link
A truly breathtaking picture. Moreso the effort and skill taken to achieve it. My most humble congratulations.
Pete M
My Flickr
DrOrloff
Posted 13/12/2011 - 22:11 Link
Very nicely done. Good to know that all we have to do is wait a while and we won't have to mess about with a telescope to photograph it.
mikeyscope
Posted 14/12/2011 - 01:10 Link
Thank you all for the very kind feedback ...much appreciated!

The K5 is a fine camera for astrophotography, the 5 min exposures were surprisingly low in noise at 800ISO considering all noise reduction was switched off.

Mike
pauljay
Posted 14/12/2011 - 21:20 Link
That's most impressive!
Paul.

Photography is not a sport. It has no rules. Everything must be dared and tried! (Bill Brandt)
PPG
szgabor
Posted 15/12/2011 - 06:13 Link
Very effective shot. I like it a lot.
Regards,
Gábor
My website
petrochemist
Posted 08/04/2013 - 18:17 Link
Beautifully done!
Whilst my scope/camera aren't quite as good as yours, with a lot of effort I ought to be able to capture something approaching this eventually, so I MUST give it another go soon!
Andromeda has always been something I've wanted to photograph. I'd need to do the dark field subtractions, find clearer skies, and improve my tracking considerably to get anywhere near this. Hopefully your shot will be the inspiration I need while the sky is still dark enough before my bedtime.
Mike
.
Pentax:K5ii, K7, K100D, DA18-55, DA10-17, DA55-300, DA50-200, F100-300, F50, DA35 AL, 4* M50, 2* M135, Helicoid extension, Tak 300 f4 (& 6 film bodies)
3rd Party: Bigmos (Sigma 150-500mm OS HSM),2* 28mm, 100mm macro, 28-200 zoom, 35-80 zoom, 80-200 zoom, 80-210 zoom, 300mm M42, 600 mirror, 1000-4000 scope, 50mm M42, enlarger lenses, Sony & micro 4/3 cameras with various PK mounts, Zenit E...
Far to many tele-converters, adapters, project parts & extension tubes etc.

.[size=11:].FlickrWPFPanoramio

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