Approaching the Andromeda Galaxy

Title is self-explanatory, along with captions which explain in some detail a series of photos of M31 arranged so as to appear that we are travelling towards the galaxy. All photos were taken by James Castelli, as were the captions written and animation imagined and created.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• andromeda
• galaxy
• m31
• animation
• photography
• astronomy
• astrophotography
• constellation
• cherry
• springs

[jamescastelli]

Thanks again for the encouraging comments and continued views! Makes me want to do even more of them, but they take time, preparation and patience! (And good weather)

[fabianernestopacheco]

well...wich Canon model? i have doubts, 'cause i tried to take pics of stars before on 15 seconds, and stars appears like short lines (and too much noise), because earth spins too fast (try to follow the moon with a common basic telescope in 1 minute)... now, at 3 minutes exposure time and with iso at 1600 ... i have my doubts... show me how... (and i'm from a country the world call of third world... ¬¬ )

[jamescastelli]

@fabianernestopacheco Doubts? That I took the photos? They are mine - that is why I see all the focus and other imperfections! The camera is the Digital Rebel, an SLR. Not Canon's (now discontinued) model, but one which allows you to keep the shutter open longer than 30 seconds. And to reduce noise, don't use the highest ISO (1600) and make sure you take a dark frame and subtract that from the images. Also, none of these photos were taken "through" a telescope, but using lenses.

[jamescastelli]

Although, to make sure there are NOT star trails, I had my camera mounted "piggyback" on a telescope, in which the mount WAS tracking the object I was photographing, counteracting the earth's rotation. I might have also been using a guide star in the eyepiece to correct for any tracking errors - I don't remember - since the effects aren't that bad at these lower magnifications. Any drift of the entire session could be corrected when assembling the animation, simply by centering the heart of M31.

[jamescastelli]

Sorry it takes so long to load. I would redo it and repost it but sadly I'd lose the generous 12,061 (as of 1/14/11) views! My advice is to let it load and zip through, THEN click on the beginning of the red timeline bar and let it go through at proper speed.

[jamescastelli]

Wow, 11,919 views! Thanks to all who viewed!

[kinderino3]

Andromeda is such a cool name!

We should have named OUR Galaxy Andromeda!

Instead we got stuck with that lousy Milky way! =(

[fearripper360]

Ever heard of bubble nebula? I have and I believe it's in cassiopea

[Javis586]

@kinderino3 Yeah but then we would be stuck eating Andromeda chocolate -.- ... FUCKING SWEET!

[nightfall22]

thank you for sharing this James. great video

[Pepqo1]

Absolutely stunning

[msmd15]

@kinderino3 i agree:(no fear