What's the light pollution in your area? Did you see the galaxy in the sky when aiming photo equipment at it? How does the raw image compare to the processed one and to what eyes see?...
What's the light pollution in your area? Did you see the galaxy in the sky when aiming photo equipment at it? How does the raw image compare to the processed one and to what eyes see? Particularly, colors and contrast.
I live under Bortle 4 skies. You can see the core of this galaxy with just your own eyes under dark skies, but it doesn't look anything like the image I shared. The raw images are quite dark, even...
I live under Bortle 4 skies. You can see the core of this galaxy with just your own eyes under dark skies, but it doesn't look anything like the image I shared. The raw images are quite dark, even with two minute exposures, so they were stretched to reveal detail and color.
Unbelievable pic, I would've sworn it was taken from an observatory. This kind of photography still has a high barrier to entry compared to other hobbies, but it's impressive that such results are...
Unbelievable pic, I would've sworn it was taken from an observatory. This kind of photography still has a high barrier to entry compared to other hobbies, but it's impressive that such results are now attainable at home.
Thanks! These days many people have decent luck using their existing DSLR and lenses on a tracking mount like the Skywatcher Star Adventurer or iOptron SkyGuider Pro, and that's definitely the...
Thanks! These days many people have decent luck using their existing DSLR and lenses on a tracking mount like the Skywatcher Star Adventurer or iOptron SkyGuider Pro, and that's definitely the best budget friendly way to get into imaging Deep Sky Objects.
That said, I'm in it for the long haul and a few months back installed a permanent pier (and surrounding deck) in the yard. Setting up and breaking down equipment was always a barrier to imaging, now so long as the forecast isn't horrible I can leave it set up under a weatherproof cover.
Thanks! Your setup is going to be very tough to shoot deep sky objects with a DSLR I'm afraid, however with a planetary camera such as the ZWO asi224mc or even just a modified webcam you could...
Thanks! Your setup is going to be very tough to shoot deep sky objects with a DSLR I'm afraid, however with a planetary camera such as the ZWO asi224mc or even just a modified webcam you could shoot some really great lunar and planetary images with it!
Woah! That is stunning . . . Fun fact, in about 3 and a quarter billion years, that beautiful galaxy will collide with the Milky Way, wreaking havoc all around. On the bright side though, we will...
Woah! That is stunning . . . Fun fact, in about 3 and a quarter billion years, that beautiful galaxy will collide with the Milky Way, wreaking havoc all around. On the bright side though, we will have almost certainly destroyed ourselves by then.
As I understand it, the odds of two stellar objects from the two galaxies actually colliding are almost zero. More like the galaxies will pass through each other like water and emerge on the other...
As I understand it, the odds of two stellar objects from the two galaxies actually colliding are almost zero. More like the galaxies will pass through each other like water and emerge on the other side almost unchanged (though gravitational effects may cause stars' relative galactic positions to change, their solar systems won't be affected). Maybe not so much havoc.
On the off chance there are any astrophotographers still around then, I bet it would make for some pretty rad photos.
Definitely not unchanged, as we'll just end up in a massive Elliptical Galaxy of sorts. Havoc will still be wrought, although if anyone's still around to see it, the perspective from Earth might...
Definitely not unchanged, as we'll just end up in a massive Elliptical Galaxy of sorts. Havoc will still be wrought, although if anyone's still around to see it, the perspective from Earth might just be of all the traditional constellations and such being messed up. Here's a fascinating artist's depiction of what it might look like.
What's the light pollution in your area? Did you see the galaxy in the sky when aiming photo equipment at it? How does the raw image compare to the processed one and to what eyes see? Particularly, colors and contrast.
The image looks quite professional
I live under Bortle 4 skies. You can see the core of this galaxy with just your own eyes under dark skies, but it doesn't look anything like the image I shared. The raw images are quite dark, even with two minute exposures, so they were stretched to reveal detail and color.
Imaging: Skywatcher 80mm Evostar ProED, 0.85 Corrector/Reducer, asi294mc-pro.
Filter: 2" Baader Moon & Skyglow
Mount: EQ6-R Pro
Guiding: asi224mc in an Orion 50mm Deluxe Guide Scope
Exposures: 26 x 120sec Lights @ 120 gain
Processed in PixInsight and Lightroom
Unbelievable pic, I would've sworn it was taken from an observatory. This kind of photography still has a high barrier to entry compared to other hobbies, but it's impressive that such results are now attainable at home.
Thanks! These days many people have decent luck using their existing DSLR and lenses on a tracking mount like the Skywatcher Star Adventurer or iOptron SkyGuider Pro, and that's definitely the best budget friendly way to get into imaging Deep Sky Objects.
That said, I'm in it for the long haul and a few months back installed a permanent pier (and surrounding deck) in the yard. Setting up and breaking down equipment was always a barrier to imaging, now so long as the forecast isn't horrible I can leave it set up under a weatherproof cover.
Wow, that looks very cool! I would love to just chill there on a warm summer night looking at the sky.
Thanks! Your setup is going to be very tough to shoot deep sky objects with a DSLR I'm afraid, however with a planetary camera such as the ZWO asi224mc or even just a modified webcam you could shoot some really great lunar and planetary images with it!
Woah! That is stunning . . . Fun fact, in about 3 and a quarter billion years, that beautiful galaxy will collide with the Milky Way, wreaking havoc all around. On the bright side though, we will have almost certainly destroyed ourselves by then.
As I understand it, the odds of two stellar objects from the two galaxies actually colliding are almost zero. More like the galaxies will pass through each other like water and emerge on the other side almost unchanged (though gravitational effects may cause stars' relative galactic positions to change, their solar systems won't be affected). Maybe not so much havoc.
On the off chance there are any astrophotographers still around then, I bet it would make for some pretty rad photos.
Definitely not unchanged, as we'll just end up in a massive Elliptical Galaxy of sorts. Havoc will still be wrought, although if anyone's still around to see it, the perspective from Earth might just be of all the traditional constellations and such being messed up. Here's a fascinating artist's depiction of what it might look like.