M31 is typically regarded as low hanging fruit by most of my earnest Galaxy specializing
M31 is of course, one of our closest galactic neighbours. I took this one at the star party that happened at Spruce Woods park, Manitoba on the September long weekend in 2021 - Covid restrictions had loosened for us briefly in our part of Canada.
Conditions: Very humid, cool temps (7*C).
Seeing: Best I have ever experienced.
Transparency: Excellent.
Lots (!!) of dew to mess with the optics, but this evening provided was one of the best skies I have seen in my short life as an astrophotographer.
The entire evening was kicked off by a bino tour of the skies by our local guru Gerry ... who gave the group an amazingly detailed walk through Sagittarius (best visual of M8 I have ever seen - not to mention M7 - Ptolemy's cluster), other asterisms and constellations. Hats off to Gerry, the man is a walking encyclopedia of information.
Thanks for looking!
Clear skies, and your critical comments, advice, etc are always welcome.
Integration: 48 x 300 sec, Bin 1 x1, cooled @ -10*C, gain set at 100
Scope: Stellarvue 70 mm f6
Imaging Cameras: ZWO 2600MC Pro
Mount: SkyWatcher NEQ6 PRO
Accessories: ASIair Pro · Stellarvue SFFR70APO flattener, reducer
Software:
Guiding Telescopes Or Lenses: The Fat Kitty's tasco 60mm/360 mm doublet
Guiding: ZWO 290MM Mini - .7 RMS on average with the mount
Notes: I used GAME script in
Below I have enclosed an approximate rendition of the rig (no