Nature Nightwash -The Whirlpool - Messier 51

Nightwash -The Whirlpool - Messier 51 · **10 Likes**

This is the "Whirlpool Galaxy" M51 shot from my balcony with a Pentax K3ii. The image was buit from 60 x 300s exposure @ ISO 400.

M51 is about 30 million lightyears away from us. The galaxy is interacting with a smaller one that is passing behind it.

SSGGeezer · 04-15-2018, 09:46 AM

Brilliant shot Pete! So is the effective focal length 910mm in total, or is that only the telescope's FL? I know there is an adapter so does the adapter change that though a factor of multiplication?

photomax7 · 04-15-2018, 11:38 AM

Must be a lot of satisfaction seeing this image appear after all that effort...well done Pete_XL.

GeoJerry · 04-15-2018, 02:11 PM

Amazing! 60 photos at 5 minutes each (so you had some kind of tracker device I guess)? What software did you use to get this image? Superb result!

**Pete_XL** · 04-15-2018, 02:25 PM

Originally posted by SSGGeezer

Brilliant shot Pete! So is the effective focal length 910mm in total, or is that only the telescope's FL? I know there is an adapter so does the adapter change that though a factor of multiplication?

Thank you for the compliment!
910 mm is the effective focal length of the telescope and did not use any converters or Barlow lenses. I applied a factor 2 scaling in the image processing while stacking the 80 images.

---------- Post added 15-04-18 at 23:26 ----------

Originally posted by photomax7

Must be a lot of satisfaction seeing this image appear after all that effort...well done Pete_XL.

Thank you!! Yeah, it's worth it!!!

---------- Post added 15-04-18 at 23:29 ----------

Originally posted by GeoJerry

Amazing! 60 photos at 5 minutes each (so you had some kind of tracker device I guess)? What software did you use to get this image? Superb result!

Jerry, I use a tracking mount and stack the heap of single exposures with an astro-software (free) to combine it into one image. The rest is done in Photoshop.

oculus · 04-15-2018, 02:43 PM

Phenomenal and historic!

**Pete_XL** · 04-16-2018, 02:14 AM

Originally posted by oculus

Phenomenal and historic!

Thank you for the flowers

**Sailor** · 04-16-2018, 07:11 AM

Excellent outcome from some careful, patient work. A really special photo!

Jer

**Pete_XL** · 04-16-2018, 09:04 AM

Originally posted by Sailor

Excellent outcome from some careful, patient work. A really special photo!

Jer

Thanks a lot

!

DeadJohn · 04-16-2018, 09:14 AM

Excellent result.

All, click on the photo to find his Flickr photostream. He has additional astro work there.

sealonsf · 04-16-2018, 05:45 PM

I'm truly impressed by that image and your knowledge.

**Tonytee** · 04-16-2018, 06:33 PM

Superb photography coupled with excellent narrative. Many thanks.

TT

**Pete_XL** · 04-16-2018, 10:25 PM

Originally posted by DeadJohn

Excellent result.
All, click on the photo to find his Flickr photostream. He has additional astro work there.

Originally posted by sealonsf

I'm truly impressed by that image and your knowledge.

Originally posted by Tonytee

Superb photography coupled with excellent narrative. Many thanks.

TT

Thank you all! It's all about passion....

**Mikesul** · 07-06-2018, 07:24 AM

Originally posted by Pete_XL

This is the "Whirlpool Galaxy" M51 shot from my balcony with a Pentax K3ii. The image was buit from 60 x 300s exposure @ ISO 400.

M51 is about 30 million lightyears away from us. The galaxy is interacting with a smaller one that is passing behind it.

Gorgeous shot!

aitrus3 · 08-10-2018, 07:22 AM

Originally posted by Pete_XL

This is the "Whirlpool Galaxy" M51 shot from my balcony with a Pentax K3ii. The image was buit from 60 x 300s exposure @ ISO 400.

M51 is about 30 million lightyears away from us. The galaxy is interacting with a smaller one that is passing behind it.

whoa! excellent work Pete! this is perhaps my favourite galaxy, next to our own.

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04-15-2018, 09:46 AM	#2
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	Brilliant shot Pete! So is the effective focal length 910mm in total, or is that only the telescope's FL? I know there is an adapter so does the adapter change that though a factor of multiplication?

04-15-2018, 11:38 AM	#3
photomax7 Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,841	Must be a lot of satisfaction seeing this image appear after all that effort...well done Pete_XL.

04-15-2018, 02:11 PM	#4
GeoJerry Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,158	Amazing! 60 photos at 5 minutes each (so you had some kind of tracker device I guess)? What software did you use to get this image? Superb result!

04-15-2018, 02:25 PM	#5
Pete_XL Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 335 Original Poster	Originally posted by SSGGeezer Brilliant shot Pete! So is the effective focal length 910mm in total, or is that only the telescope's FL? I know there is an adapter so does the adapter change that though a factor of multiplication? Thank you for the compliment! 910 mm is the effective focal length of the telescope and did not use any converters or Barlow lenses. I applied a factor 2 scaling in the image processing while stacking the 80 images. ---------- Post added 15-04-18 at 23:26 ---------- Originally posted by photomax7 Must be a lot of satisfaction seeing this image appear after all that effort...well done Pete_XL. Thank you!! Yeah, it's worth it!!! ---------- Post added 15-04-18 at 23:29 ---------- Originally posted by GeoJerry Amazing! 60 photos at 5 minutes each (so you had some kind of tracker device I guess)? What software did you use to get this image? Superb result! Jerry, I use a tracking mount and stack the heap of single exposures with an astro-software (free) to combine it into one image. The rest is done in Photoshop.

04-15-2018, 02:43 PM	#6
oculus Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Photos: Gallery Posts: 518	Phenomenal and historic!

04-16-2018, 02:14 AM	#7
Pete_XL Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 335 Original Poster	Originally posted by oculus Phenomenal and historic! Thank you for the flowers

04-16-2018, 07:11 AM	#8
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	Excellent outcome from some careful, patient work. A really special photo! Jer

04-16-2018, 09:04 AM	#9
Pete_XL Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 335 Original Poster	Originally posted by Sailor Excellent outcome from some careful, patient work. A really special photo! Jer Thanks a lot !

04-16-2018, 09:14 AM	#10
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,833	Excellent result. All, click on the photo to find his Flickr photostream. He has additional astro work there.

04-16-2018, 05:45 PM	#11
sealonsf Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Francisco Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,729	I'm truly impressed by that image and your knowledge.

04-16-2018, 06:33 PM	#12
Tonytee Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 21,461	Superb photography coupled with excellent narrative. Many thanks. TT

04-16-2018, 10:25 PM	#13
Pete_XL Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 335 Original Poster	Originally posted by DeadJohn Excellent result. All, click on the photo to find his Flickr photostream. He has additional astro work there. Originally posted by sealonsf I'm truly impressed by that image and your knowledge. Originally posted by Tonytee Superb photography coupled with excellent narrative. Many thanks. TT Thank you all! It's all about passion....

07-06-2018, 07:24 AM	#14
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Originally posted by Pete_XL This is the "Whirlpool Galaxy" M51 shot from my balcony with a Pentax K3ii. The image was buit from 60 x 300s exposure @ ISO 400. M51 is about 30 million lightyears away from us. The galaxy is interacting with a smaller one that is passing behind it. Gorgeous shot!

08-10-2018, 07:22 AM	#15
aitrus3 Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Kamloops B.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,432	Originally posted by Pete_XL This is the "Whirlpool Galaxy" M51 shot from my balcony with a Pentax K3ii. The image was buit from 60 x 300s exposure @ ISO 400. M51 is about 30 million lightyears away from us. The galaxy is interacting with a smaller one that is passing behind it. whoa! excellent work Pete! this is perhaps my favourite galaxy, next to our own.