Algol Loc: Georgia

This is an image of the Andromeda Galaxy (aka M-31). Info as follows" Canon 60Da camera with Canon 100mm Macro lens, ISO 1600, f/4, 13 exposures at 3 minutes each, stacked with DeepSky Stacker, processed in Photoshop Elements 9.
The two satellite galaxies, M-32 and NGC 205 are also visible next to the main galaxy. Also two other lesser known satellite galaxies, NGC 147 and NGC 185 are to the north of the main galaxy. All of these are members of the so-called "Local Group" which contains our galaxy the Milky Way and several other galaxies as well.

Andromeda + Companion galaxies

(Download)

Andromeda ID's

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

Beautiful!

Great structure in Andromeda
:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

GT

Algol Loc: Georgia

Thank you GT, I appreciate it very much.

sleepydrdr Loc: Chattanooga, TN

Beautiful shot, excellent detail! It inspires me to dust off our telescope. :thumbup: :thumbup:

kubota king Loc: NW , Pa.

I wouldn't even know where to look in the sky at night to find this or any other galaxy . I would have to go out of town to get away from all the lighting . I watch tv shows all the time about space . Thanks for sharing , Tommy

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Here, a few miles north of Denver, we rarely get a chance to see Andromeda, let alone photograph it. I am insanely jealous. Marvelous pic!

Algol Loc: Georgia

This image was taken only 30 miles from Atlanta (pop 4,000,000). It was an exceptionally clear night with Andromeda directly overhead. We chose the time to do this so it would present the least amount of light pollution in the image. Then we settled by trial an error on a three minute exposure with the lens stopped down to f/4. Rich Jakiel was my partner and it was his lens coupled to my camera that did the trick. The 100mm macro is an excellent choice for astrophotography as it presents nice pin point star images to the very edge.
Once we secured more than ten images (we were inside watching TV and drinking coffee, hence the odd number of thirteen images), this was sufficient to cancel out any grain as seen in a single image. Rich was the one who processed the image using several programs and different routines. I'll post at a later time the full details on the programs, sequence etc to get an image such as this, sort of a tutorial in a sense.
Thank you all for such wonderful comments.

pfrancke Loc: cold Maine

Very cool, I am also eager for further details about software processes and what you did to track the stars (3 minutes with a 100mm, I figure you must have done something..)

dlmorris Loc: Loma Linda, Ca

Nice image! I like the wide field view. It almost gives a 3d effect. Certainly makes the galaxy seem far away, beyond all the foreground stars!

jkoar Loc: The Gunks, NY

What did you use as a camera mount? Astrotracker or similar?

Albuqshutterbug Loc: Albuquerque NM

Outstanding work.
I have not been able to get that much detail yet but continue to try.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

All I can say is WOW!!!
Craig