Andromeda Galaxy (M31) - First Light with New Setup

It's always exciting to break in new gear, and this shot of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) marks the first light for my latest astrophotography setup. The goal was to see how this new equipment, particularly the guiding and the Skywatcher 200PDS telescope, stacks up against my earlier, unguided efforts. I'm genuinely pleased with how this image turned out, especially the detail in the Ha regions, which is quite remarkable considering the relatively short integration time and the absence of any filters.

Andromeda Galaxy (M31)

Acquisition Details:

Integration Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
ISO: 1600
Exposure: 50 x 180 seconds
Calibration Frames: 20 Flats, 20 Darks, 20 Bias
Sky Conditions: Bortle 4

Equipment:

Telescope: Skywatcher 200PDS
Mount: EQ-6R Pro
Camera: Modified Canon 6Da
Autoguiding: Modified 9x50 finder scope with SVBony 705C
Filters: None

Processing:

Software: Siril, GraXpert, Gimp

A Closer Look at the Gear and the Journey:

A fellow astrophotographer inquired about the differences between the Skywatcher 200P and the 200PDS, and whether any modifications were made. The 200PDS and the standard 200P are indeed very similar, but the PDS sports a dual-speed Crayford focuser, a slightly larger secondary mirror, and a different back focus configuration. This generally makes it a bit easier to achieve focus without the focuser drawtube intruding too far into the main optical tube. However, it's worth noting that both focusers can be improved upon.

Collimation was performed using a 3D-printed Cheshire eyepiece and an SVBony laser collimator. Unfortunately, tilting issues presented some challenges, and the collimation isn't perfect yet. In an ideal scenario, this process would be straightforward, but these specific issues made it quite difficult. Consequently, upgrading the focuser is a high priority on my to-do list. I haven't yet undertaken any light baffling or flocking, but that's another modification I plan to implement. Additionally, I'm considering a CNC-milled secondary mirror spider and a main mirror aperture ring to mitigate diffraction from the main mirror clamps.

To ensure focus stability, especially with the added weight of a coma corrector and the DSLR camera, I've added an affordable Gemini EAF from AliExpress. This helps prevent any unwanted focuser movement over time that could otherwise compromise image sharpness.

This initial outing with the new setup has been very encouraging, and I'm excited to see what future observations bring!