M51 the Whirlpool Galaxy
Apr 25, 2021 17:17:17 #
Ballard
Loc: Grass Valley, California
This is a second pass at the M51 the Whirlpool Galaxy with the Hydrogen Alpha (HA) spectrum added into the red channel. The HA addition to this image was created with a Narrow Band (5 nanometer wide) filter centered around 656 nanometers (Very red). Adding this 2 hour set of HA exposures to the red channel really brings out the hydrogen clouds in the galaxy.
This is a galaxy around 23 million light years away found in the constellation of Canes Venatici (Just off the end of the handle of the Big Dipper). The galaxy is actively interacting with it companion galaxy NGC 5195.
This image of M51 was made using a monochrome camera taking multiple exposures using separate Luminance, Red, Green, Blue and HA filters. This version was also color calibrated (and the color saturation was also increased a bit). I posted the LRGB image without HA and not color calibrated a few days ago at
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-694141-1.html
In the past I had taken an image using a DSLR but the IR filter in a DSLR blocks out most of the Hydrogen alpha lines. Here is a link to that shot for comparison.
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-648536-1.html
All questions comments and suggestions are welcome.
This is a galaxy around 23 million light years away found in the constellation of Canes Venatici (Just off the end of the handle of the Big Dipper). The galaxy is actively interacting with it companion galaxy NGC 5195.
This image of M51 was made using a monochrome camera taking multiple exposures using separate Luminance, Red, Green, Blue and HA filters. This version was also color calibrated (and the color saturation was also increased a bit). I posted the LRGB image without HA and not color calibrated a few days ago at
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-694141-1.html
In the past I had taken an image using a DSLR but the IR filter in a DSLR blocks out most of the Hydrogen alpha lines. Here is a link to that shot for comparison.
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-648536-1.html
All questions comments and suggestions are welcome.
Apr 25, 2021 17:17:43 #
Apr 25, 2021 17:21:17 #
Ballard
Loc: Grass Valley, California
Longshadow wrote:
That's cool!!
Hi Longshadow
Thanks for viewing the image of M51 and for the comment.
Apr 25, 2021 18:23:28 #
Apr 25, 2021 19:02:35 #
Ballard
Loc: Grass Valley, California
David in Dallas wrote:
A stunning photo! Nice job!
Hi David in Dallas
Thanks for checking out the image of M51 and for the comment.
Apr 25, 2021 20:11:50 #
This is so amazing! Your subject and all you did to make this is fantastic. 
Apr 25, 2021 20:14:02 #
Ballard
Loc: Grass Valley, California
Craigdca wrote:
This is so amazing! Your subject and all you did to make this is fantastic.
Craigdca
Thanks for checking out the image of M51, for the comment and the Thumbs up.
Apr 25, 2021 22:59:23 #
Apr 25, 2021 23:09:39 #
Apr 25, 2021 23:58:14 #
Ballard
Loc: Grass Valley, California
Wallen wrote:
nice!
Hi Wallen
Thanks for checking out my latest image of M51 and for the comment.
Apr 26, 2021 00:03:12 #
Ballard
Loc: Grass Valley, California
rmorrison1116 wrote:
Really, really nice photograph.
Hi rmorrison1116
Thanks for viewing the my latest image of M51 and for the comment.
Apr 26, 2021 06:54:00 #
Well, you did your homework and got rewarded with an "out of this world" photograph. Masterfully done !!
Apr 26, 2021 06:59:43 #
Apr 26, 2021 07:19:46 #
Apr 26, 2021 07:27:16 #
It's as good as I've seen without using the Hubble telescope. Thanks for explaining the process so everyone understands astrophotography a bit more.
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