The Best Targets for Galaxy Season

[@KevinRudd-w8s]

I appreciate that this reply comes two years after you first released this video Kwasi, but I would include M106 in this list, gets a bit overlooked due to the close proximity of M51, and M63 but it is a good size and has some cool dust lanes. Another target that I like is M108 in Ursa Major, with a fairly wide field you can capture M97 ( the Owl Nebula ) as well. I don't have a scope with an fl longer than 805 mm ( f7 ) so my galaxy season imaging tends to be of galaxy groupings such as M81/M82, Leo Triplet, NGC4631/4656 etc. or larger targets like M101, but I actually do like the wider field images.

[@Lord_Volkner]

Great stuff. Enjoyed your video and your pics. I tried to image some galaxies this year, but my scope really wasn't up to the task. It's great for nebula, but bad for galaxies (except Andromeda).

[@shredding1]

This is such a well narrated video

[@fazergazer]

I like the H-alpha that shows up in the second attempts.🎉

[@rickbattle5706]

Good video and informative. The 9.25 should do well for you. I am going to start with M81 and M 82 then go to the Leo Triplet,

[@jonkayl9416]

great video

[@russellparr9252]

Thanks for the inspiration, Kwasi! Hope you get clear skies and great pics!

[@radioparisment628]

Coma Berenices too ! Yes Kwasi, I'm ready, just waiting for good weather. Clear skies.

[@AstroParkAstrophotography]

Coma Berenices is another good constellation that I didn't mention! The Needle Galaxy and the Black Eye Galaxy are targets on my list to capture from that region for the first time!

[@radioparisment628]

@@AstroParkAstrophotography Surely, you will not be disappointed 👍

[@JonnyBravo0311]

Spring... isn't the saying for March "in like a lion, out like a lamb"? Well, it's -5C with 20+ mph winds... I had snow squalls earlier today. I'm hoping tomorrow night brings clear skies and calm winds... I've had a total of about 6 hours of imaging time this month :). Hopefully I'll actually get some time to dial in my 8" Edge to take advantage of the aperture and focal length.

[@AstroParkAstrophotography]

I feel ya Jonny. Maryland had some pretty high wind speeds earlier in the week. I hope you'll get the opportunity to put your EdgeHD 8 to work this season!

[@mupangamwanakatwe1300]

Nice video, and good luck with this Galaxy seasons imaging!

[@nickambrose8606]

Another not too shabby with a wide FOV is M97 and surfboard Galaxy in one shot.

[@amp2amp800]

Thanks Kwasi. I was looking for a nice barred spiral but the brightest and nicest ones all seem to be southern hemisphere. I shortlisted a couple (in my skysafari observing list) but they are challenging small and faint. I think I will have to shoot without the reducer on my EON130 and increase the integration time and maybe the gain too. L-pro seems to be a good idea for me too, in a white zone. I have an L-eXtreme which is great on targets like the rosette nebula but pretty useless for galaxies. UV/IR cut doesnt help with light pollution.

[@AstroParkAstrophotography]

Thanks for watching! One tip that I learned recently is if the galaxies you're imaging have pockets of nebula regions, you can use the L-eXtreme filter for the Hα data. Then you can blend the Hα with the RGB data from the L-Pro to make those nebula regions pop out better.

[@amp2amp800]

@@AstroParkAstrophotography Yes thanks. I tried that too but results were disappointing for me (beyond my current processing skillsto exploit the Ha properly) One day!

[@jonrbryan]

NGC 2403 is a great target, too. About the same apparent size as Bode's (smaller than the Pinwheel, larger than the Whirlpool). I'm new to astrophotography and got a great image with my 80mm refractor a couple of nights ago using a ZWO ASI178MC color camera.

[@AstroParkAstrophotography]

I'll have to add that one to the list. Thanks for the suggestion, and hopefully I'll have a chance to visit NGC 2403 this season!

[@AstroEverett]

Hey Kwasi.....great job and video. I just subbed. Keep up the great work.

[@AstroParkAstrophotography]

Much appreciated Everett, and it's good to have you here!

[@mattestabrook]

Good video. I'm a little low on focal length, but planning to shoot M106 and its neighbors next. I Can't wait to see what you can capture with the 9.25 EdgeHD!

[@spyda96]

Whale galaxy NGC 4631 with AWB 130 and ASI183. Mounted on exos2.

[@flatisland]

1:18 indeed! I had galaxy season last year and it took me ages to shoot all of the targets I had chosen. I also liked the Whirlpool and the Pinwheel but also the Needle Galaxy with an edge-on view. With a 200mm lens I was also able to get the Markarian's Chain into one image.

[@AstroParkAstrophotography]

Nice! People can still enjoy Galaxy Season with a short focal length telescope as well, and I think it works best with galaxy cluster targets. Markarian's Chain is a great example, and I'll see if I can visit that with my RAPTOR 61!

[@flatisland]

@@AstroParkAstrophotography I hope you can visit it and I'm curious as to what the result will look like (compared with my barn door tracker image :D)

[@Kijad]

This is great, thank you! Here's hoping the stupid skies cooperate...

[@AstroParkAstrophotography]

Happy to help, and I hope you get some clear skies on your end!

[@perry3928]

Hi Kwasi. Just joined your channel. I'm a newbie. Purchased the celestron nexstar 8se and waiting for 1st light. For now will use a dslr for imaging. Do I have a chance to capture galaxies with this set up? Thanks.

[@AstroParkAstrophotography]

It's good to have you here Perry! I haven't used it personally but from what I've heard, the Nextstar 8se is a pretty good scope, and it should have plenty of focal length for galaxies.