M51 Whirlpool Galaxy star sprays
with 10" f/3.9 Astrograph
Uploaded 2/15/16

This image is dedicated to my friend Paul Teirney in Australia. This is his favorite northern object, and I took it especially for him. Thanks Paul for being our friend in astronomy, paleo, and general rockhounding!
Select an image size for a larger view: 1290 x 960
Instrument: 10" f/3.9 Orion Astrograph Newtonian Mount: Astrophysics 1200 QMD CCD Camera: SBIG 10XME NABG with Enhanced Water Cooling Guider: Meade DSI Pro w/80mm piggyback refractor Exposure: LRGB: 1h, 15m AstroDon RGB Combine Ratio: 1: 1.05: 1.2 Location: Payson, Arizona, Elevation: 5150 ft. Sky: Seeing FWHM = 3 arcsec , Transparency 9/10 Outside Temperature: 35 F CCD Temperature: -20 C Image Processing Tools: Maxim DL6: Calibration, deblooming (Starizona Debloomer), aligning, stacking PixInsight: Curves, Deconvolution Photoshop CS2: Curves, Color Correction, Gradient removal (Grad Xterminator), Cleanup HOME GALAXIES EMISSION NEBS REFLECTION NEBS COMETS GLOBULARS OPEN CLUST PLANETARIES LINKS