My First 3-Hour Deep Sky Attempt: M31 Andromeda Galaxy Under Bortle 6 Skies

This marks my inaugural 3-hour integration since switching to a DSO camera, and I'm eager to share my first results of the magnificent Andromeda Galaxy (M31), captured under Bortle 6 skies.

M31 Andromeda Galaxy

As a beginner with this new setup, I'm acutely aware that there's a lot of room for improvement, particularly in both the quality of the captured data and, more significantly, the post-processing workflow. I'd be incredibly grateful for any suggestions or insights from the community to help me refine my technique.

Processing Challenges and Goals

One of the main hurdles I encountered was achieving a smooth background. I suspect my galaxy saturation might have been a bit too aggressive, potentially contributing to a less-than-ideal background. My current focus is on bringing out the finer details within M31, but I haven't yet managed to achieve the sharpness I'm aiming for.

My Setup and Acquisition Details

Here's a rundown of the equipment and settings used for this session:

Camera: Touptek ATR533C
Lens: Rokinon 135mm f/2.0
Guide Cam: Touptek G3M662M
Guide Scope: Touptek FS250AC
Mount: SWSA GTI
Tools: Bahtinov mask
Sky Conditions: Bortle 6/7
Aperture: Shot at f/2.8
ISO: 100
Lights: 200 frames @ 60 seconds each (Total 3 hours 20 minutes)
Darks: 50 frames @ 60 seconds (Note: Darks were not used during stacking for this trial)
Bias: 50 frames
Flats: 20 frames (Acquired using NINA flats wizard)

Processing Workflow

My post-processing journey involved the following software:

Graxpert: Used for stacking, background extraction, and initial noise reduction.
Siril: Employed for a slight stretch and star removal.
GIMP: Utilized for final adjustments, including saturation, curves, hue-saturation, sharpening, and star recomposition.

On Darks and Stacking

During the stacking process, I experimented with various combinations (wDBF, woDBF, wo Dark, etc.). Interestingly, the stack without dark frames appeared to yield better results in my initial assessment, which is why I opted not to include them in this specific trial. I'm open to feedback on this decision!

Seeking Your Expertise

I'm eager to learn from your experiences. What are your thoughts on the color rendition and overall processing? Are there any specific techniques you recommend for improving background smoothness or bringing out finer details in galaxies? Any advice on optimizing the processing workflow, perhaps focusing more on Siril for stretching and color balance, would be immensely valuable. I'm also looking into resources like Nebula photos on YouTube to further my understanding.

Thank you for taking the time to view my work and for any guidance you can offer!