Deep Sky Workflows

It's a galaxy so near it could be interacting with our stars. It's so big and bright that you can photograph it with an ordinary camera. It was originally cataloged as a 'nebula' by Charles Messier in his catalog of 'things to avoid looking at because they're not comets' and was #31 on the list. The Andromeda Galaxy, named for the constellation it hangs out in, is located just off the edge of the distinct 'W' of Cassiopeia. I got a little close to my work this time, imaging over two nights using different exposures to draw out details. I also used a hydrogen alpha filter to find the red emissions hanging out in the limbs of this barred spiral galaxy that is our neighbor.

See where this image is located in space via the WorldWide Telescope.

Image details