Messier 101 (M101)
Common Name: Pinwheel Galaxy
Also Known as: NGC 5457, Arp 26
Object Type: Spiral Galaxy
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance from Earth: 20.9 million light years
Apparent Magnitude: 7.86
Coordinates: RA 14H 03M 12.6S DEC 54 deg 20 min 57 sec
Actual Size: 170,000 light years in diameter
Apparent Dimensions: 28.8 arc-minutes x 26.9 arc-minutes
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Environmental Data
Date: April 23, 2021 Start Time: 9:06PM End Time: 2:05AM SQM: 17.54
Moon Age: 11.3 days Moonset: 4:20AM Moon Illumination: 86.9%
Temperature: 61 degrees F Humidity: 40% Dew Point: 36.5 degrees F
Location: Westport, Massachusetts 02790 Sky Condition: Clear
Comment: Moon is bright. Installed wind shield on West side of observatory to mitigate wind gusts.
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Imaging Scope Data
Mount: iOptron CEM120 Camera: ZWO ASI071 OSC Focuser: Optec QuickSync FT20
Telescope: Celestron 11 inch SCT Edge Focal Length: 1960mm
Focal Reducer/Field Flattener: 0.7 focal reducer Filter: None
Rotator: Pegasus Falcon Rotator Power Control: None Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip
Imaging Software
Mount: iOptron Commander Focuser: Optec FocusLynx Commander
Imaging: Sequence Generator Pro Platesolve: ASTAP Rotator/Control: Pegasus Unity Platform
Imaging Status
Imaging Software: Sequence Generated Focus HFR 2.56 Platesolve: Good on 3rd attempt
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Guide Scope Data
Telescope: Stellarvue SVX130 Camera: Lodestar X2 Focuser: Optec DirectSync SV35
Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip Software: PHD2 Exposure: 3 sec Binning: 1x1 Tracking Result: 0.45 arc-seconds RMS
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Images Taken
Number of light frames: 299 Duration: 1 minute Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
Total Integration Time: 4.98 hours
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Number of flat frames: 50 Duration: 0.13 seconds Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
Flat Field Illumination: All-Pro 'Spike-a-Flat Field standard' illuminated panel
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Number of Dark frames: 50 (from library) Duration: 2 minutes Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
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Number of Bias frames: 50 (from library) Duration: 0.001 seconds Gain: Unity Gain
Camera Temperature: -10 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 7.0
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Imaging Processing
Imaging Processing Software: PixInsight
Processes utilized: Linear - calibration/integration: Flats ImageCalibration with Master Bias, Flat ImageIntegration, Images ImageCalibration with Flat Master & Dark Master, Debayer, SubFrameSelector, StarAlign, ImageIntegration
Linear - Background extraction, Color correction, deconvolution, noise reduction: GradientCorrection, ImageSolve, SpectroPhotometricColorCalibration, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator
Non-Linear: GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch script, CurvesTransformation, MultiscaleLinearTransform for sharpening, HistogramTransformation.
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Notes:
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