Untracked Andromeda: A Deep Dive into Capturing the Galaxy

Astrophotography can often feel like a pursuit dominated by sophisticated, often expensive, tracking mounts. But what if you could capture the majesty of the Andromeda Galaxy with a manual equatorial mount? Today, we're diving into how one astrophotographer achieved just that, offering a testament to skill, patience, and smart processing.

The Gear and The Goal

The image you see below, titled "Untracked Andromeda," was captured using a Sony A6400 paired with a Samyang 135mm f/2.0 lens. The challenge? A manual equatorial mount. This means that precise tracking of celestial objects is done by hand, relying on the photographer's skill to keep the target centered throughout the exposure.

The Technical Breakdown

To achieve such a detailed image, the photographer employed a significant number of exposures: a staggering 4956 exposures, each lasting 1 second. In total, this amounts to 1 hour and 14 minutes of dedicated capture time. Even with a manual mount, this volume of data is crucial for gathering enough signal to bring out the faint details of the galaxy.

Processing for Perfection

The processing workflow is just as vital as the capture itself, especially when dealing with the limitations of a manual mount. Here's how this image was brought to life:

• Stacking: DeepSkyStacker (DSS) was used to stack all 4956 individual exposures. This process averages out noise and enhances the faint signal from the Andromeda Galaxy.
• Initial Processing: Adobe Photoshop was the primary tool for the initial processing of the stacked image.
• Star Separation: StarNetv2 was employed to separate the stars from the galaxy. This is a common technique in astrophotography to allow for independent processing of celestial objects and background.
• Merging and Final Touches: The starless image and the separated stars were then merged back together and further processed in Photoshop to achieve the final, stunning result.

Overcoming Light Pollution

Adding another layer of difficulty, this capture was made in a fairly light-polluted area, specifically a suburb in the Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. Light pollution is a major adversary for astrophotographers, as it washes out faint details and introduces unwanted color casts. The success of this image, despite these challenges, highlights the effectiveness of the capture and processing strategy.

This "Untracked Andromeda" is a fantastic example of what can be achieved with a well-thought-out approach to astrophotography, proving that you don't always need the most advanced equipment to create breathtaking images of the cosmos. It's a testament to the photographer's dedication and technical prowess.