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The Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31, or M31) is a vast spiral galaxy located about 2.5 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Andromeda. It is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way and the largest member of the Local Group, spanning roughly 220,000 light-years across. To the naked eye under dark skies, M31 appears as a faint, elongated glow, making it the most distant object humans can see without optical aid. Through binoculars or a telescope, its bright central core, sweeping spiral arms, and prominent dust lanes become more apparent. Andromeda is on a slow collision course with the Milky Way, and the two galaxies are expected to merge in about four to five billion years, forming a massive elliptical galaxy.
Technical Details
Telescope: Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED Refractor
Auto Focus: ZWO Electronic Auto Focuser
Astronomy Camera: ZWO ASI071MC Pro
Filter: Optolong UV-IR cut filter; 900 exposures @ 60 seconds each (15 hours) — Palm Springs, CA
Filter: Optolong UV-IR cut filter; 400 exposures @ 120 seconds each (13.3 hours) — Near Bridgeport, CA
Total Integration Time: 28.3 hours
Auto Guiding: William Optics Uniguide 50mm Guide Scope
Auto Guiding Camera: ZWO ASI120MM Mini Guide Camera
Auto Guiding Software: PHD2
Telescope Mount: Sky- Watcher EQ6-R Pro
Telescope Computer: BeeLink GK-55 Mini PC / Windows 10 Pro
Wireless Communication: GL-iNEt Beryl Travel Router
Telescope Control & Image Capture Software: Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy (N.I.N.A.)
Image Integration Software: Astro Pixel Process, by Aries Productions
Image Post Processing Software: PixInsight, by Pleiades Astrophoto
Images captured:
Palm Springs, CA during September 2022. Dark sky classification = Bright suburban sky (Bortle 6)
Near Bridgeport, CA September 2022. Dark sky classification = Rural (Bortle 3)