M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy

 Posted: Dec 9th, 2025
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NGC
IC
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Technical Info
Telescope/Lens: Sky-Watcher 200/1000 PDS
Camera: SVBONY SV605CC
Mount: Juwei 17-100
Guide Scope: SVBONY SV106
Guide Camera: TOUPTEK GPM 462
Software: Siril, GraXpert, Starnet++, Cosmic Clarity, GIMP
Accessories: SHARPSTAR 1X MPCC
Exposure:
180 x 90" ISO/Gain: 101 - SVBONY UV/IR CUT
Orange, Bortle 6 zone:
 Chekhov, Russia
 Jul 4th, 2025
4 h 30 m
623
Resolution: 2825x2809 px
Scale: 40185 KB
Last time I overdid the contrast, so I made a softer version.
Current photo Updated
  9 Dec, 2025
  4 h 30 m
Last time I overdid the contrast, so I made a softer version.
  21 Nov, 2025
  4 h 30 m
A miracle did not happen - after a week, the previous processing seemed not the most successful :) I took into account the "criticism" about insufficient sharpn…
  13 Nov, 2025
  4 h 30 m
Taken over several short nights in early July, but I didn't like how the processing turned out for a long time.
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Comments

Very cool! I have exactly the same setup — but I haven't seen the sky yet.
21 Jul, 2026 Reply
Buzzard Replied to Fanis
Thank you! The setup is fully operational, though guiding occasionally has some minor quirks. Sometimes the error is 0.6", other times 1-1.1". I haven't identified any pattern yet. I tried both with a separate guide scope and with OAG.

> but haven't seen the sky yet (
at least you'll build up an appetite for observing ))
21 Jul, 2026 Reply
Fanis Replied to Buzzard
Guiding quality depends heavily on the atmosphere. Could you send me the raw FIT frames — lights, darks, flats, etc.? I want to practice stacking and processing photos while there’s no sky. Even M51, for example?
21 Jul, 2026 Reply
Buzzard Replied to Fanis
It will only be a couple of weeks before I can look for the source files. They are on a separate hard drive, spread across several nights. But there is an unprocessed stack here: https://disk.yandex.ru/d/FgMgcZFd5d-QrQ
21 Jul, 2026 Reply
Fanis Replied to Buzzard
Thank you very much! I'll practice in GIMP.
21 Jul, 2026 Reply

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