| M 31 (NGC224) Andromeda Galaxy The Andromeda Galaxy is readily visible from a dark sky location as a fuzzy patch of light covering approximately 3+ degrees or 6 times the width of our moon. Andromeda is approximately 2.9 million light years distance and 250,000 light years across much larger than our own Milky Way galaxy at only 100,000 lights years across. In about 5 billion years both our Milky Way galaxy and Andromeda will collide and begin to coalesce, perhaps evolving into an even larger elliptical type galaxy. This image reveals much detail and numerous globular star clusters and nebulae are visible. In 2010 I hope to have enough good weather in Oregon to take some additional images of various regions within the Andromeda Galaxy. |
| Telescope / Lens | TMB 80 mm f/ 6 with Tele-Vue .8 FF / reducer f/4.8 384 mm |
| Mount Type | Astrophysics 1200 |
| Camera | SBIG ST10XME |
| Filters | Astrodon LRGB e-series of balanced filters (generation 1) |
| Film | CCD |
| Exposure | 210 minutes (3.5 Hours) LRGB (L=120 min (10 min. x 9 & 5 min. x 6) RGB= 1.5 Hours. (10 min. subs) |
| Processing | CCDSoft, CCDStack, AIP, Photoshop CS2 |
| Date | 09/21/2009 |
| Location | Snow Peak, S/E of Cottage Grove, Oregon 122° 52' 35" W,
43° 31' 21"N |
| Conditions | 4658' elevation, magnitude 6 Skies; Clear ; Humidity 65-80% 51 degrees, wind 0-3 M.P.H. |