M31: Reprocessing the Andromeda Galaxy
It's always exciting to revisit old captures with fresh eyes and new skills. This image of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) was originally taken in 2023 with my trusty Canon EOS RP DSLR. While my new ZWO camera is fantastic, I've always appreciated the expansive Field Of View (FOV) that the DSLR offers, especially when capturing grand objects like M31.
I wanted to see what I could do with this older data by applying some of the advanced post-processing techniques I've acquired since then. The results speak for themselves, and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out!
Acquisition Details:
- Telescope: Explore Scientific AP 102/714
- Mount: Skywatcher EQM-35 Pro Synscan GoTo
- Camera: Canon EOS RP
- Guidescope: Omegon Microspeed Guidescope
- Guider Camera: Bresser Full HD Deep-Sky Camera & Guider
- Camera Control: BackyardEOS
- Guiding Software: PHD Guiding 2
Processing Workflow:
- Stacking: DeepSkyStacker
- Post-processing: Pixinsight
- DynamicBackgroundExtraction
- Gradient Correction
- AssistedColorCalibration
- BlurxTerminator
- NoiseXTerminator
- GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch
- CurvesTransformation
This project really underscored the value of revisiting older data. The wider FOV of the DSLR allowed for a more comprehensive view of M31, and the enhanced processing brought out details that I might have missed before. It's a great reminder that investing time in learning new processing techniques can breathe new life into your astrophotography captures!
