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Thread: One More - M51 - The Whirpool Galaxy

  1. #1
    Jose Suro
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    Default One More - M51 - The Whirpool Galaxy

    Hi All,

    One more galaxy. I'm posting this one to show the difference between wide and narrow fields. This galaxy is much further away (23 million light years) and therefore requires a larger telescope capable of much higher magnification. You can tell by the fewer stars in this image compared to the one I posted last. This was taken with my 11-inch scope in a single night, using a dedicated astro camera with a much smaller sensor, about 1/4 full frame, hence the tighter field (only 1200 pixels across). At this magnification things get very dicey for astrophotography. Everything has to be perfect, including the "seeing" (lack of atmospheric turbulence), for a succesful shoot.

    Discovered by Charles Messier in 1773, M51 is a "grand design" spiral galaxy and is interacting with another galaxy - NGC 5195. M51 is actually devouring it :). It's apparent size is only 11.2 arc-minutes, roughly 1/6 of a degree. The light captured here is 23 million years old - if you think about it, from long before there were humans walking around! There are two small elongated light sources on the bottom left of the image. These are other galaxies, so far away that the light reaching us now is so old the dinosaurs were probably not even around then.

    Thanks for looking.

    Best,

    Jose


  2. #2
    Fabs Forns
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    I am really fascinated by your work, Jose.
    It's very humbling to see how grand creation really is!

    Thank you so much for sharing :) And the explanation included. Greatly appreciated.

  3. #3
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    You sure know how to make us feel small. :D Beautiful image.

  4. #4
    George DeCamp
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    Another incredible image. I am loving the colors too, didn't realize they were so visible from earth. Thanks for posting his Jose.

  5. #5
    Rich Ikerd
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    Awesome image Jose. Nothing like a good photo of a galaxy to make you feel really tiny.

  6. #6
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    Amazing. Makes me want to dig out my telescope. I tried astro-photography when I first got started, but when I realized I could barely see even the closest planets, I let it fall away.

  7. #7
    Brian Wong
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    Hi Jose!

    As Fabs said ... I am fascinated by your work! They really look clean and well done! Awesome!

  8. #8
    Alfred Forns
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    They look so simple and there is so much behind them !!!! Big fan of your work !!! Beautiful and pleasing !!!

  9. #9
    Robert Amoruso
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    Thanks for the details. Very impressive.

  10. #10
    Thomas Loucks
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    No I was trying to blow up the picture to look at it.

  11. #11
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    Thanks a ton for capturing such amazing wonders & presenting it them to us.

    rgds,
    Kaushik

  12. #12
    Maxis Gamez
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    This is awesome!!!

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