Andromeda Galaxy M31 (David Norris)

Andromeda Galaxy M31

My first astro build with my first image. Actually so many firsts - first time using an EQ mount, auto guiding, cooled astro camera, ASIAir, PixInsight and so much other gear. But the learning process was so worth it!

The Great Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the nearest spiral galaxy to our own with diameter of about 220,000 light-years and is approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth with an estimated one trillion stars. Andromeda is the nearest large galaxy to the Milky Way. The galaxy's name stems from the area of Earth's sky in which it appears, the constellation of Andromeda.

Visible as a faint smudge on moonless nights, it is one of the farthest objects visible to the naked eye. Like the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy has satellite galaxies. Two of the brightest, M32 and M110, can easily be seen in this image on either side of the core of Andromeda.

The Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies are expected to collide in around 4–5 billion years, merging to form a giant elliptical galaxy. The fate of the Solar System in such a collision is currently unknown. If the galaxies do not merge, the Solar System could be ejected from the Milky Way, or even join Andromeda!

Images: 83 x 180s lights, 20 darks, 30 flats, 30 bias.

Imaging Telescope Askar FRA400 72mm f/5.6 Quintuplet Petzval Flat-Field Astrograph

Imaging Camera ZWO ASI2600MC Pro APS-C CMOS Color Cooled Astronomy Camera

Mount iOptron HEM27

Filter Optolong L-Pro Deep Sky Filter

Accessories ZWO ASIAIR Plus, ZWO EAF

Software PixInsight, Photoshop

Guiding Telescopec William Optics 50mm UniGuide

Guiding Camera ZWO ASI290MM Mini

Polar Alignment: iPolar

Bortle Class: 5

Integration: PixInsight

Post processing: PixInsight, Photoshop

Captured on 23, 24 Sep 2022

PixInsight Addicts
Optolong L-Pro filter
Beginners AP
The refractors!
Cloudy Nights
ZWO ASI 2600MC PRO
Askar Telescopes
Messier Objects

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Deep sky
Solar system
Extremely wide field
Star trails
Northern lights
Noctilucent clouds
Landscape

	Image of the day	Top pick	Top pick nominations	Total submitted
Backyard
Traveller
Own remote observatory
Amateur hosting facility
Public amaeteur data
Professional, scientific grade data
Mix of multiple sources
Other
Unknown

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	6347039
PixInsight job	9T63P0IO0L92F6EQE000L3CPK9K8SJ46
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	TASK_LOG

RA (center)	00h42m44s.96
RA (top/left)	00h48m36s.80
RA (top/right)	00h48m48s.49
RA (bottom/right)	00h36m35s.46
RA (bottom/left)	00h36m59s.99

Dec (center)	+41°16′00″.9
Dec (top/left)	+39°35′25″.1
Dec (top/right)	+42°56′13″.1
Dec (bottom/right)	+42°55′25″.9
Dec (bottom/left)	+39°34′41″.1

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