Capturing the Cosmos: My First Andromeda (M31) from Vermont
Last night, under the skies of Vermont, I took my first serious shot at capturing the iconic Andromeda Galaxy (M31). From 21:00 to 00:30, I experimented with a new, faster-deploy rig, and while the conditions were decent early on, the rising moon presented a bit of a challenge towards the end of the session.
The Gear and the Process
Here's a breakdown of the equipment and processing steps involved in bringing M31 to light:
- Integration: A total of 186 subs, each 60 seconds long, equating to approximately 3 hours of exposure time. An intervalometer was used to manage the captures.
- Camera: My trusty Nikon D5600, an unmodified APS-C sensor camera, was set to ISO 800.
- Lens: The Nikkor 55–200mm lens was used at its 200mm focal length, stopped down to f/6.3.
- Mount: A Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer served as my tracker, allowing for the long exposures needed for deep-sky objects.
- Processing: The data was stacked and processed using Siril for background extraction, color calibration, and star recomposition. Further cleanup for gradient and noise reduction was handled by GraXpert.
This setup is a departure from my usual EQ6R mount, and I'm enjoying the process of experimenting with its capabilities.
Reflections and Future Plans
I'm currently weighing my next equipment upgrade. Should I invest in a prime lens like the Rokinon 135mm for sharper results, or a compact refractor such as the RedCat 51 or SV555?
One area I'm not entirely satisfied with is the appearance of the stars. Many have a "check mark" quality to them. While a 5-minute polar alignment test showed minimal trailing, I suspect this might be due to field rotation or perhaps coma and aberrations from the kit zoom lens. I also found that M32 was quite washed out during the star mask processing, which is something I'll need to refine in future attempts.
I'm eager for any feedback or constructive criticism you might have! Clear skies to all!
The Image
