Probably the last image of the season, a 4 hour integration on M101. Some equipment issues have lead to some odd shaped stars in this image of the slightly irregular M101 face on spiral galaxy. Also a test of a new light box for making flat fields. No great issue with image flatness, so that is a success. Various parts of M101 have their own designation, so this image also shows NGC5462, NGC5461, NGC5458, NGC5453, NGC5455, NGC5449, NGC5451, NGC5447, NGC5450 and the outlying background galaxy PGC 49919 / MCG 9-23-25 in the top left.
View full sized image of M101 Pinwheel Galaxy
Captured in ArtemisCapture, calibrated in ImagetoolsCa, combined in maxim, thuggery in photoshop. Total integration time 4 hours.
This image was autoguided using my homemade off axis guider and my black and white SC1 webcam.
Imaged with my homemade telescope mount
Exposure Details :
Coma Corrector 79x180s on 200mm @ F5 with ART285
Curdridge Observatory, Southampton,UK
