M31
The Andromeda Galaxy

Jack Schmidling Productions, Inc.
18016 Church Road ~ Marengo IL 60152
Phone:815 923 0031 ~ Fax:815 923 0032 ~ Email:arf@maxx.mc.net

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The following photos make up an album of my other favorite deep sky subject. They were taken with several different telescopes and cameras.

[M31press]


M31



Scope: Graflex Press camera piggyback
EFL: 150mm
Exposure: 30 min
Film: Hypered Techpan



[M31ag]


M31



Scope: 90 mm Astrograph
EFL: 508 mm
Exposure: 60 min
Film: Hypered Techpan


[M3110in]


M31



Scope: 10"
EFL: 60"
Exposure: 60 min
Film: Hypered Techpan


M31 Mosaic

[M31rl]


The objective here was to photograph a very large object with a scope whose field is a bit too small to fully illuminate the edges. In the case of M31, the edges are the most interesting part of the galaxy.

To accomplish the task, the center of the galaxy is moved to one edge of the field and an exposure made. It is then moved to the other side of the field and another exposure made. After printing, they are stitched together in the scanner.

This technique not only puts the most interesting parts in the center of the field but if planned carefully, puts the shadow of the off-axis prism where it is later cropped out.





NCG 206
STAR CLOUD IN ANDROMEDA GALALXY

[plato] [Copernicus]

16" 40 Min Techpan

90 mm Astrograph, 60 min


The haripin loop above the starcloud on the 16" photo is a water mark on the negative.


NGC 206, ANDROMEDA

This image was taken with the MX5 CCD camera and represents a significant improvement in resolution.

The ability to resolve stars in an external galaxy, with a backyard telescope, would make the great astronomers of only a few decades ago drool.

This was a 40 minute exposure with the MX5 CCD camera.




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