M31
- Date Posted: November 19, 2025
- Resolutions: 5500x5500 , 800x800 , 300x300
- Date: September 4, 2024
- Time:
- Number of frames: 818
- FPS:
- Focal length: 250
- CMI/CMII/CMIII:
This deep, multi-night image of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) reveals an exceptional level of faint detail, including extensive dust lanes, rich star-forming H II regions, and subtle Integrated Flux Nebula surrounding the galaxy’s disk. Over 68 hours of total integration time were collected across nine nights from a Bortle 5 region in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The combination of broadband, dual-band, and ultra-narrow Ha/OIII filters allowed both continuum starlight and discrete emission structures to be captured with high fidelity. Careful processing in PixInsight and Photoshop preserved the natural stellar color balance while enhancing microcontrast in the dust lanes and outer spiral arms. The large, smooth halo of the companion elliptical galaxy M32 is also visible embedded within Andromeda’s disk light. The final image highlights the extended structure of M31 and its complex, multi-scale interplay of dust, star-forming regions, and diffuse background nebulosity. Data & Acquisition: • Total Integration: 68 hours 10 minutes (September–November 2024) • Nights: 9 Broadband (No Filter) – 3 nights • 279 × 300s lights • 60 flats • 60 darks • 60 bias ZWO Dual-Band Ha/OIII – 2 nights • 148 × 300s lights • 40 flats • 40 darks • 40 dark flats Optolong L-Ultimate Dual-Band Ha/OIII – 4 nights • 391 × 300s lights • 80 flats • 80 darks • 80 dark flats Equipment: • William Optics RedCat 51 • ZWO ASI533MM Pro • ZWO filter drawer • ZWO Dual-Band Ha/OIII • Optolong L-Ultimate Ha/OIII • ZWO AM5 mount • ZWO ASIAir Plus • ZWO EAF • Processed in PixInsight and Photoshop
- User details
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- Ron Brooks
- May 24, 2024
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