M31, Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda

 

M31

Object:
M31, Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda
Coordinates:
RA = 00h 42.7m, DEC = +41° 16' 
Telescope:
Televue NP-101 (4-inch f/5.4 APO refractor)
Mount:
Losmandy G11 German Equatorial
Guide Scope:
Stellarvue SV80/9D refractor supported by a Robin Casady TGAD (Tandem Guidescope Aiming Device)
Guide Camera:
Orion StarShoot AutoGuider & PHD guiding software
Imaging Camera:
QSI-583ws
Filters/Exposures:
Five 10-minute exposures through Astrodon LRGB & Ha filters, and five 2-minute LRGB feathered into the overexposed central bulge area (total of 45 exposures).  Stacked in MaximDL and processed in Photoshop CS6.
Shooting Location:
East Coast Star Party in Coinjock, NC
Date/Time:
13/14 October 2012
Comments:
M31 is approximately 2.5 million light years away and is our galaxy's closest spiral neighbor.  The scattered red regions are clouds of hydrogen gas, which show up nicely here due to the Ha filter.