Capturing the Andromeda Galaxy on a Budget: A 500€ Astrophotography Journey

It's always inspiring to see what can be achieved in astrophotography with passion and determination, even with a limited budget. Today, we're diving into a fantastic second attempt at capturing the breathtaking Andromeda Galaxy (M31) using a setup that comes in at around 500€! Let's see what this modest yet capable equipment can reveal.

The Rig

The astrophotographer behind this image has put together a thoughtful combination of gear:

Camera: Nikon D3200
Lens: Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 USD Di VC (A009)
Mount: Omegon Mount MiniTrack LX3

This setup proves that you don't need to break the bank to venture into the captivating world of deep-sky imaging.

Acquisition Details

Here's a breakdown of the data captured:

Focal Length: 200mm
Aperture: f/3.2
ISO: 200
Lights: 91 x 60 seconds
Darks: 30
Bias: 30
Flats: 30
Sky Conditions: Bortle 4

This is a solid set of calibration frames and a good number of light frames to work with, especially for a beginner or budget-conscious setup.

Processing Workflow

The journey from raw data to the final image involves several key steps:

Stacking: DeepSkyStacker (DSS) was used to stack the light frames, darks, bias, and flats. This is crucial for reducing noise and bringing out faint details.
Stretching & Initial Processing: Siril was employed for stretching the stacked image to reveal more of the galaxy's structure and for initial color calibration.
Star Removal: A combination of Siril and StarNet was used to tackle star removal, a common technique to focus attention on the galaxy itself.
Final Touches: Adobe Lightroom was used for the final adjustments and polishing.

The Result

[Image of Andromeda Galaxy captured with the budget setup]

Seeking Improvements

The astrophotographer is looking for feedback on how to refine the image, specifically aiming for finer stars and a cleaner overall appearance. Common challenges with budget setups include achieving pinpoint stars and managing background noise and gradients. Some valuable suggestions from the community include:

Color Calibration: Experimenting with manual color calibration in Siril can help fine-tune the colors, as sometimes there can be a slight color cast (in this case, a hint of red was noted).
Advanced Processing Software: Tools like Graxpert (free) or SetiAstroSuite (free), often integrated with CosmicClarity, offer advanced features for background extraction, denoising, and sharpening, which can significantly improve the final output.
Focusing Aids: For sharper stars, using a Bahtinov mask during focusing is highly recommended. These masks are relatively inexpensive or can even be DIY'd.

This image is a testament to what can be achieved with careful planning and execution, even with a modest investment. It's a fantastic starting point, and with a few more processing tricks up their sleeve, even greater detail and clarity can be extracted from this beautiful capture of Andromeda!