Into The Core of Andromeda: 100hrs on a Familiar Target

Image Title: Into The Core of Andromeda: 100hrs on a Familiar Target

Copyright: Franklin Mare

Date image was taken: September 19, 2025

Location: New Orleans, LA, USA

Data Acquisition Method: Personal Telescope Setup

Description and Details: Acquisition Details:
Dates:
Aug. 24 - 26, 2025
Sept. 2 - 6, 2025
Sept. 11 - 15, 2025
Sept. 17 - 19, 2025
Frames:
Antlia EDGE H-alpha 4.5nm 1.25": 29×900″(7h 15′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE H-alpha 4.5nm 1.25": 29×900″(7h 15′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -12°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE H-alpha 4.5nm 1.25": 15×900″(3h 45′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -14°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE H-alpha 4.5nm 1.25": 49×900″(12h 15′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 0°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE OIII 4.5 nm 1.25": 29×900″(7h 15′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE OIII 4.5 nm 1.25": 50×900″(12h 30′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -12°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE OIII 4.5 nm 1.25": 27×900″(6h 45′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -13°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE OIII 4.5 nm 1.25": 13×900″(3h 15′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 0°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE OIII 4.5 nm 1.25": 10×900″(2h 30′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 5°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE SII 4.5 nm 1.25": 8×900″(2h) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -10°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE SII 4.5 nm 1.25": 8×900″(2h) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -14°C bin 1×1
Antlia EDGE SII 4.5 nm 1.25": 48×900″(12h) (gain: 121.00) f/0 0°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Blue 1.25": 19×180″(57′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -10°C bin 2×2
Antlia V-Pro Blue 1.25": 45×180″(2h 15′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -11°C bin 2×2
Antlia V-Pro Blue 1.25": 32×180″(1h 36′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -14°C bin 2×2
Antlia V-Pro Green 1.25": 33×180″(1h 39′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -14°C bin 2×2
Antlia V-Pro Green 1.25": 64×180″(3h 12′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -9°C bin 2×2
Antlia V-Pro Luminance 1.25": 65×120″(2h 10′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -11°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Luminance 1.25": 64×120″(2h 8′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -13°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Luminance 1.25": 130×120″(4h 20′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -14°C bin 1×1
Antlia V-Pro Red 1.25": 81×180″(4h 3′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -10°C bin 2×2
Antlia V-Pro Red 1.25": 32×180″(1h 36′) (gain: 121.00) f/0 -12°C bin 2×2
Integration: 102h 41′

A few years ago I took some deep time with Andromeda and my 5" Orion Achro. A world of nebula awaited me when I processed it. Sadly though I missed out on some features and I needed a revisit. Now armed with a much larger and faster OTA (10" F3.8 Imaging Newt) This would give me some extra reach for sure. My initial goal was capturing a very tiny double lobed figure 8 in OIII (the catalogues list it as a SNR). The figure 8 shape always amazed me and thought I could get a little more resolving power from the 10". That particular structure still just puzzles me to no end, but the real surprise lay hidden in the core of Andromeda. I knew there was Ha spiral structures in there but did not expect all the long delicate tendrals in Ha extending out into the galaxy. I spend a long time tying to combine the amazing narrowband continuum subtracted data with the delicate filaments and the LRGB where the core is just so bright. I hope I did my data some justice and present it in the full LRGBHSO palette. I also have the continuum subtracted HSO data in my Realistic2 palette for the mouse over which lets you see some of this delicate structure near the core much more easily too!

Link to my video about my image: https://youtu.be/8srSUbzIYJM

Name: Franklin Marek

Website or Facebook Profile: http://www.setiastro.com