Messier 51 (M51)
Common Name: Whirlpool Galaxy
Also Known as: NGC 5194, Rosse’s Galaxy, Question Mark Galaxy, Arp 85
Object Type: Grand Design Spiral Galaxy
Constellation: Canes Venatici
Distance from Earth: 23 million light years
Apparent Magnitude: 8.4
Coordinates: RA 13H 29M 52.7S DEC 47 deg 11 min 43 sec
Actual Size: 76,900 light years in diameter
Apparent Dimensions: 11.2 arc-minutes x 6.9 arc-minutes
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Environmental Data
Date: April 28, 2022 Start Time: 6:46PM End Time: 10:21PM SQM: 19.22
Moon Age: 27.4 days Moonset: 5:31PM Moon Illumination: 5.2%
Temperature: 47 degrees F Humidity: 37% Dew Point: 22 degrees F
Location: Westport, Massachusetts 02790 Sky Condition: Clear
Comment: Slight wind so installed wind shield on West side of observatory. Breezy all night. Noticed tracking spikes due to wind gusts.
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Imaging Scope Data
Mount: iOptron CEM120 Camera: ZWO ASI2600 OSC Focuser: Optec QuickSync FT20
Telescope: Celestron 11 inch SCT Edge Focal Length: 1960mm
Focal Reducer/Field Flattener: 0.7 focal reducer Filter: None
Rotator: Pegasus Falcon Power Control: Pegasus Ultimate Powerbox V2 Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip
Imaging Software
Mount: iOptron Commander Focuser: Optec FocusLynx Commander
Imaging: Sequence Generator Pro Platesolve: ASTAP Rotator/Control: Pegasus Unity Platform
Imaging Status
Imaging Software: Sequence Generated Focus Good HFR 3.27 Platesolve: Success on 3rd attempt
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Guide Scope Data
Telescope: Stellarvue SVX130 refractor Camera: ZWO ASI290 Focuser: Optec DirectSync SV35
Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip Software: PHD2 Exposure: 2 sec Binning: 1x1 Tracking Result: 0.55 arc-seconds RMS
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Images Taken
Number of light frames: 161 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
Total Integration Time: 5.37 hours
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Number of flat frames: 50 Duration: 0.15 seconds Gain: 100
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
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Number of Dark frames: 50 (from library) Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
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Number of Bias frames: 50 (from library) Duration: 0.001 seconds Gain: 100
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
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Imaging Processing
Imaging Processing Software: PixInsight
Processes utilized: Linear - calibration/integration: Flats ImageCalibration with Master Bias, Flat ImageIntegration, Images ImageCalibration with Flat Master & Dark Master, Debayer, SubFrameSelector, StarAlign, ImageIntegration
Linear - Background extraction, Color correction, deconvolution, noise reduction: DynamicBackgroundExtraction, ImageSolver, SpectroPhotometricColorCalibration, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator
Non-Linear: GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch script, CurvesTransformation, MultiscaleLinear Transform to sharpen, HistogramTransformation.
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Notes: C
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