Here is the 2023 update for my “best” image of M31, the Andromeda Galaxy. This is a milestone in my astrophotography journey, as I have captured new data on M31 this year, and then added last year’s image data as well. This proves the concept that it is possible to constantly improve images by adding new data to image data previously acquired in the past. This is possible because the ASIAir Controller can very accurately position the telescope / lens time after time on a respective target.
The total integration time of this image is now just over 8 hours, using this year’s 4 hours of data and last year’s 4 hours of data. Additionally this year, the Hydrogen Alpha channel was added – this very nicely brings out all the red nebula in Andromeda. These are seen mostly in the outer spiral arm toward the top of the image.
Click on the image to see a larger version you can explore.
Image Info
- Imaged from the KPO field in Saint Cloud, Florida, and last year’s data captured in Key West, Florida..
- Camera : ZWO ASI1600MM Pro, Gain set to 200
- Lens: Canon 100-400 f/5.6L lens, set to 400mm
- Mount: iOptron SmartEQ Pro
- Red: 27 subframes of 300s = 135 min integration
- Green: 14 subframes of 300s = 70 min integration
- Blue: 24 subframes of 300s = 120 min integration
- Luminance: 18 subframes of 300s = 90 min integration
- Hydrogen Alpha: 14 subframes of 300s = 70min integration
- Total integration time: 485 min = 8.08 hours.
- Captured via ASIAir Pro automation
- Optical tracking via ASIAir automation, currently using ST4 mount control via the ASI120MM-S guide camera
- Separate channels stacked and HaRGB integrated in Astro Pixel Processor
- Image cropped, stretched, and noise processed in Nebulosity.
- Final processing in Aperture