NGC 4631
Common Name: Whale Galaxy
Also Known as: Caldwell 32, UGC 7865
Object Type: Barred Spiral Galaxy
Constellation: Canes Venatici
Distance from Earth: 30 million light years
Apparent Magnitude: 8.9
Coordinates: RA 12H 42M 08.0S DEC 32 deg 32 min 29 sec
Actual Size: 132,000 light years
Apparent Dimensions: 15.5 arc-minutes x 2.7 arc-minutes
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Environmental Data
Date: March 21, 2021 Start Time: 7:56PM End Time: 1:09AM SQM: 15.4
Moon Age: 7.7 days Moonset: 2:09AM Moon Illumination: 53,6%
Temperature: 50 degrees F Humidity: 48% Dew Point: 31 degrees F
Location: Westport, Massachusetts 02790 Sky Condition: High thin clouds
Comment:
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Imaging Scope Data
Mount: iOptron CEM120 Camera: ZWO ASI071 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: Manual Power Control: None Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip
Imaging Software
Mount: iOptron Commander Focuser: Optec FocusLynx Commander
Imaging: Sequence Generator Pro Platesolve: ASTAP Rotator/Control:
Imaging Status
Imaging Software: Sequence generated Focus HFR 2.68 Platesolve: Success on 5th attempt
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Guide Scope Data
Telescope: Stellarvue SVX130 refractor Camera: Lodestar X2 Focuser: Optec DirectSync SV35
Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip Software: PHD2 Exposure: 2 sec Binning: 1x1 Tracking Result: 0.5 to 1.2 arc-seconds RMS
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Images Taken
Number of light frames: 136 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
Total Integration Time: 4.53 hours
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Number of flat frames: 50 Duration: 0.13 Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
Flat Field Illumination: All-Pro 'Spike-a-Flat Field standard' illuminated panel
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Number of Dark frames: 50 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
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Number of Bias frames: 50 Duration: 0.001 seconds Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -20 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: DynamciCrop. DynamicBackgroundExtraction, ImageSolve, SpectroPhotometricColorCalibration, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator
Non-Linear: GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch script, MultiscaleLinearTransform for sharpening
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Notes:
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