M51- Astronomy and astrophotography CCD camera images

04/04/2005
Object name: M51 Whirlpool galaxy
Popular name: Whirlpool galaxy
Object type: Galaxy
Magnitude: 8.9
Size: 11.2 6.9
Position angle: 0
Classification: Sbc
Apparent RA: 13 29 52.6 Apparent Dec: +47 11 44
Constellation: Canes Venatici

This is certainly my best M51 so far. Presented here is the L layer taken on 4th April, and a colourised version, using data from 2nd April. The small streak in the bottom left is not a hot pixel, its IC 4277, another, more distant galaxy.

Captured in K3, stacked in registax with darkframe. Saved as FITS. RGB fits coregistered and balanced in IRIS. Slight RL deconv in IRIS on L layer. Photoshop used to combine colors. Multiple L layering in photoshop + curves + colour balancing.

Exposure Details :

Red 40x15s on 200mm @ F5 with SC3.5
Green 40x15s on 200mm @ F5 with SC3.5
Blue 40x15s on 200mm @ F5 with SC3.5
IR Block 101x21s on 200mm @ F5 with SC3.5

Curdridge Observatory, Southampton,UK