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M101 (my second try at a galaxy 😊)


alis80b

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A stunning result with such little experience.. Very nicely processed too

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Really nice Alison. Thats a nice capture 👍🏼

 

The 'cute little ufo shaped thing' you're captured is another galaxy : called a 'Lenticular galaxy' and

goes by the name of NGC 5422. Its pretty faint at Mag +11.2 

It also shows what you can capture from a light polluted suburb, and how sensitive modern cameras are.

 

Also bottom right  'the weird blob' is NGC 5474.  I like that definition 😀 

 

Below left of M101 itself is NGC 5477  This is Mag +14 which is similar to Pluto.

 

Edited by Bino-viewer
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9 hours ago, Bottletopburly said:

Excellent start 👍🌟

Thank you 😊 

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6 hours ago, Derbyshire Dave said:

A stunning result with such little experience.. Very nicely processed too

Thank you 😊 

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3 hours ago, Bino-viewer said:

Really nice Alison. Thats a nice capture 👍🏼

 

The 'cute little ufo shaped thing' you're captured is another galaxy : called a 'Lenticular galaxy' and

goes by the name of NGC 5422. Its pretty faint at Mag +11.2 

It also shows what you can capture from a light polluted suburb, and how sensitive modern cameras are.

 

Also bottom right  'the weird blob' is NGC 5474.  I like that definition 😀 

 

Below left of M101 itself is NGC 5477  This is Mag +14 which is similar to Pluto.

 

Thank you, and for the info on the other galaxies. It’s amazing how many galaxies there are! 😊

I’m loving my camera. I’ve just bought an Optolong L-Pro filter so hopefully that will improve things further 😊

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With shots like this, you are definitely NOT a beginner. 

 

I'd like to see you do M13 and M3. Then there's a whole host of interesting galaxies in Virgo but they are lower in the sky.

 

For other galaxies, I suggest M81, M65 and M66.

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18 minutes ago, Sunny Phil said:

With shots like this, you are definitely NOT a beginner. 

 

I'd like to see you do M13 and M3. Then there's a whole host of interesting galaxies in Virgo but they are lower in the sky.

 

For other galaxies, I suggest M81, M65 and M66.

Thank you!😊

 

Well I guess I'm no longer a 'beginner' (although I still feel like I still am 🙈)  I think I may have just about graduated kindergarten now 😂

 

It's now two and a half months since I bought all my equipment and worked out how it all fitted together (after a Zoom lesson). I have 8 nights of imaging in the bag, although 4 of those were just photographing the moon.

 

I've said it before, but I definitely think the results I am getting are credit to my equipment (and luck), not me 😂 I am trying so hard to learn more but still don't really know what I'm doing.

 

I can't name any parts of the telescope (apart from the lens, dove tail, and the focus knobs 😂), I have never attached the eyepiece to the telescope, it's still in the box! I haven't moved anything after my Zoom lesson. I'm scared I won't remember how it all fits back together!! I haven't used the finder scope (that's also still in the box) not sure what the point of it is?! My TeleVue Powermate X5 is also still in the box unused (I seem to be missing an adapter to attach it to my camera?). 

 

My PoleMaster has been a life saver (I couldn't even see anything through the polar scope) but I'm still struggling with star alignment? Not sure why that is? If I pick a star on the remote control it slews to it but I can't even see it on my live view (I normally have to manually move my telescope to try and find it). Not sure if I'm supposed to yank it with the locks still on, it's easier that way though! 🙈

My telescope is unbalanced on the mount (apparently I need a new/longer dovetail), The only stars I know where to find in the sky are Sirius, Polaris and Orion. Although If I moved to a different location than my backyard I think I'd struggle! There are so many other things that I don't get yet!!! Ascension, declination, focal length, guiding, dithering, ... the list goes on! 😫

 

On a positive though I do feel like I'm getting better. I've now managed to link my camera to APT, taken some calibration frames, used DSS for stacking and actually got a photo of the pinwheel galaxy!! 😍

 

I think the only thing I've got in my favour is that I know my way around Photoshop. If I didn't know how to do that I would have definitely sold everything by now! 😂

 

Thanks for the Galaxy tips. I'll google them. I'm not really sure which ones are suitable for my telescope? I read that a refractor is not good for some galaxies?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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21 hours ago, alis80b said:

Thank you!😊

 

Well I guess I'm no longer a 'beginner' (although I still feel like I still am 🙈)  I think I may have just about graduated kindergarten now 😂

 

It's now two and a half months since I bought all my equipment and worked out how it all fitted together (after a Zoom lesson). I have 8 nights of imaging in the bag, although 4 of those were just photographing the moon.

 

I've said it before, but I definitely think the results I am getting are credit to my equipment (and luck), not me 😂 I am trying so hard to learn more but still don't really know what I'm doing.

 

I can't name any parts of the telescope (apart from the lens, dove tail, and the focus knobs 😂), I have never attached the eyepiece to the telescope, it's still in the box! I haven't moved anything after my Zoom lesson. I'm scared I won't remember how it all fits back together!! I haven't used the finder scope (that's also still in the box) not sure what the point of it is?! My TeleVue Powermate X5 is also still in the box unused (I seem to be missing an adapter to attach it to my camera?). 

 

My PoleMaster has been a life saver (I couldn't even see anything through the polar scope) but I'm still struggling with star alignment? Not sure why that is? If I pick a star on the remote control it slews to it but I can't even see it on my live view (I normally have to manually move my telescope to try and find it). Not sure if I'm supposed to yank it with the locks still on, it's easier that way though! 🙈

My telescope is unbalanced on the mount (apparently I need a new/longer dovetail), The only stars I know where to find in the sky are Sirius, Polaris and Orion. Although If I moved to a different location than my backyard I think I'd struggle! There are so many other things that I don't get yet!!! Ascension, declination, focal length, guiding, dithering, ... the list goes on! 😫

 

On a positive though I do feel like I'm getting better. I've now managed to link my camera to APT, taken some calibration frames, used DSS for stacking and actually got a photo of the pinwheel galaxy!! 😍

 

I think the only thing I've got in my favour is that I know my way around Photoshop. If I didn't know how to do that I would have definitely sold everything by now! 😂

 

Thanks for the Galaxy tips. I'll google them. I'm not really sure which ones are suitable for my telescope? I read that a refractor is not good for some galaxies?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fact is that we are all still learning and even amateur astronomers are standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before.

 

You've done very well in 2.5 months but as for the moon, many nights that is all there is to see or photograph, so why not enjoy it?

 

Good equipment certainly helps and my photos made a quantum leap when I moved from a compact digital camera to a DSLR but even good equipment in the wrong hands won't produce good results. 

 

There is no "one route" in astronomy but it is not usual to start off with deep sky photography. However, it is definitely working for you. Many people do not know how to navigate the sky using the constellations. If you want to know more about it, you can check my website in my signature. I would say that, although long-exposure deep sky photography is the epitome of astrophotography, it is not the only branch. Indeed, I don't do it mainly because of lack of budget but also because, even if I won the lottery, I probably have about 12 years of life left to learn. That's me, though. My main genre these days is catching meteors "on film" but I do lots of other low-tech stuff.

 

The galaxies I suggested are within the range of your gear and some are easier than what you've already done, whereas M65 and M66 are somewhat harder. If you can crack them on a given night, you could try for the Virgo galaxies. If you can't get them, it's the wrong night.

 

As for your Powermate, it will not work for galaxies but it would produce interesting lunar and planetary close-ups.

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5 hours ago, Sunny Phil said:

 

The fact is that we are all still learning and even amateur astronomers are standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before.

 

You've done very well in 2.5 months but as for the moon, many nights that is all there is to see or photograph, so why not enjoy it?

 

Good equipment certainly helps and my photos made a quantum leap when I moved from a compact digital camera to a DSLR but even good equipment in the wrong hands won't produce good results. 

 

There is no "one route" in astronomy but it is not usual to start off with deep sky photography. However, it is definitely working for you. Many people do not know how to navigate the sky using the constellations. If you want to know more about it, you can check my website in my signature. I would say that, although long-exposure deep sky photography is the epitome of astrophotography, it is not the only branch. Indeed, I don't do it mainly because of lack of budget but also because, even if I won the lottery, I probably have about 12 years of life left to learn. That's me, though. My main genre these days is catching meteors "on film" but I do lots of other low-tech stuff.

 

The galaxies I suggested are within the range of your gear and some are easier than what you've already done, whereas M65 and M66 are somewhat harder. If you can crack them on a given night, you could try for the Virgo galaxies. If you can't get them, it's the wrong night.

 

As for your Powermate, it will not work for galaxies but it would produce interesting lunar and planetary close-ups.

 

My problem is that I want to run before I can walk. Story of my life! 
I think it will catch up with me soon though (like last night when my power tank died as I’d forgotten to charge it 🙈).

 

I feel better knowing that a lot of people don’t know their way around the night sky. I will definitely check out your website. Thanks. 😊

 

I am so happy that I have found this hobby. It’s given me something to focus on during these difficult times. 
 
I’m so grateful for the help and support that I’m getting on here and the Astro Facebook groups I’ve joined. All the images I see are so inspiring and everyone is so encouraging.

 

I am definitely not in it for the praise though. I really welcome any criticism or tips so I can improve. Please don‘t hold back, the reason I am sharing my photos is for critique!! 😊

I don’t think I’ll ever be completely happy with anything that I do, but maybe that’s a good thing. 

 

Thank you for the galaxy tips. I didn’t realise you checked it they were suitable for my telescope. I still need to google what they are 🙈

 

I would love to get my powermate attached so

I can get some close up moon/planet shots. I need to contact FLO about the adapter. 

 



 

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