M 51 - Whirlpool Galaxy
M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy, a face-on spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici, is somewhere around 25 million light years from Earth. It is estimated to be about 35% the size of our own Milky Way. It is believed that the smaller companion galaxy, NGC 5195 (the much fuzzier galaxy to the right), has passed through the Whirlpool twice, helping to create the pronounced spiral structure.
This image was taken remotely with our Planewave 17" telescope in Texas. With the rainy season almost upon us, we will rely on data from the USA for our imaging the next 5 months. The LRGB image comprises 13 hours 20 minutes of exposures.
Data collected at the Dark Sky Observatory Collaborative (DSOC) in Ft. Davis, TX using SC Observatory's remote Planewave CDK 17" f/6.8 scope, in collaboration with:
John Kasianowicz, Josh Balsam, Mike Selby, Dhaval Brahmbhatt, Scott Johnson, Mike Bushell, Rich Johnson
Image processing: Andy Chatman
Object details
Galaxy in Canes Venatici
Right Ascension: 13h 29m 52.7s
Declination: +47° 11′ 43″
Magnitude: 8.4
Moon Age Average: 16.80 days
Moon Phase Average: 30.15 %
Additional images
Imaging Setup
Location:
Fort Davis, Texas, USA
Date:
Jan 27, 2017, Jan 29, 2017, Jan 30, 2017, Feb 22, 2017, Feb 23, 2017, Mar 5, 2017, Mar 7, 2017, Mar 21, 2017, Mar 22, 2017, Apr 6, 2017, Apr 19, 2017, Apr 23, 2017, Apr 25, 2017 and May 2, 2017
Telescope:
Planewave CDK 17
Focal Length:
2924 mm
F-Ratio:
F/6.8
Mount:
Astrophysics 1100GTO
Camera:
FLI PL 16803
Image Scale:
1.27 arcseconds/pixel
Imaging Software:
ACP
Processing Software:
Adobe Photoshop
PixInsight 1.8
Exposure Detail
| Filter | Filter Brand | Bin | Qty | Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L | Astrodon | 2x | 11 | 1200 |
| R | Astrodon | 2x | 12 | 1200 |
| G | Astrodon | 2x | 8 | 1200 |
| B | Astrodon | 2x | 9 | 1200 |
