Whirlpool Galaxy

M51 galaxy in Canes Venatici, just off the tip of the handle of the Big Dipper. It's way up high in the sky around 9pm this time of year.

Image is a composite of four images, three 50 minutes images in red green and blue and a two hour image in white light. Mount Takahashi NJP, scope Takahashi refractor TOA-130, camera Starligh Xpress SXVH9 guided through a Borg 76ED. 

Took your advice Joe and image M51 for 2 consecutive hours, guiding did not work again, so I did it the OLD FASHION WAY, 120 one minute combined images in MaximDL/CCD.   Was a great night until the Moon came up causing a hazy sky throughout the East and Southeastern skies.  Tried guiding with the software that came with the mount after completing the above image, it showed that it was guiding, star did not go outside the crosshair.  I did not image as it was already 1:30 am Monday and I was tired.

Taken Tuesday evening from Whiting, NJ, thru my trusted Orion 80ED on a Celestron CGEM mount.  Set up to do a one hour exposure, due to high "not so thin" clouds I was forced to close after 28 minutes, which is what this exposure totals.  

80 minutes on IC-4277 (spiral galaxy edge on, bottom left) and IC-4277 (Irregular galaxy, bottom center) and M51 (the big thingy in middle of the picture)

Another night of perfect skies, just before the muggy weather comes in this weekend.  Tuesday evening I took M51 combined one hour exposure.  Orion 80ed on Vixen mount.  There is another galaxy lower left hand corner, 14 mag I.C.4263, highlighted in dim circle.