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The Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M31, along with the spiral galaxy M33, nearby are the only Local Group Galaxies in the northern night sky visible to the naked eye, besides our Milky Way.
M31's roughly 220,000 light-year diameter is the nearest spiral galaxy to our Galaxy. It is anticipated to combine with our home MilkyWay galaxy in about 4.5 billion years—a cosmic dance of titanic proportions.
First cataloged by the Persian astronomer Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi in 964 as a "little cloud" in his Book of Fixed Stars, Andromeda's true nature as an extragalactic entity remained concealed until Edwin Hubble's groundbreaking observations in the 1920s.
By identifying Cepheid variable stars within M31, Hubble could calculate its vast distance from us at approximately 2.5 million light-years. This revealed that it lay far beyond the boundaries of our Milky Way and, shattering the erstwhile assumption that our Galaxy was the entirety of the universe.
Documenting the subtle wonders of the Andromeda Galaxy through long exposures on the darkest autumn and winter nights.
Revealing the Colors of Our Cosmic Neighbor with the D3
Image Details
Image Details
Since I received my D3 last October, M31, the Andromeda Galaxy, has become one of my favorite subjects to photograph. Over the past six months, I've aimed my telescope at this magnificent spiral galaxy more than six times.
Today, in mid-February 2025, with the weather again gray and rainy, I combined my three best cleaned-up stacks of the Galaxy obtained using the Vis, Astro, and Dual Band filters in Photoshop. Shooting all my shots at 4K with a gain of 60 allows for easy alignment of the shots as they are all the same pixel depth and size. All captures have been de-noised and star minimalized using Topaz DeNoise AI and Photoshop.
Post-Processing
Post-Processing
My goal in post-processing was to highlight the natural colors that the D3 captures without artificially changing any color details that the D3 captured in the deep-sky object (DSO). All captures have been de-noised, and star minimalized using Topaz DeNoise AI and Photoshop. I meticulously adjust the color and intensity of each shot-stack to ensure they all match the same intensity and contrast profile. Using the lighten layer blend mode, I re-stack each set of images, resulting in a brighter and more detailed version of the Galaxy than any of the original raw stacks. I can then erase any edges or grainy areas on any layers to get a smooth and consistent field.
My Three Best Stacks (Dual-Band, Astro, Visible)
Dual-Band
Astro
Visible
Mythology and Location
In Greek mythology, the Andromeda Galaxy's name is a celestial tribute to Princess Andromeda, who was chained to a rock as a sacrificial offering to a sea monster, only to be heroically saved by Perseus. This myth, imbued with themes of bravery and salvation, finds an evocative parallel in the astronomical tale of M31—both a harbinger of future cosmic events and a relic of the past. The galaxy's majestic arms spiral gracefully like the chains that once bound Andromeda, while its destined collision with the Milky Way echoes the dramatic rescue and the ensuing chaos. Through this mythological lens, the scientific marvel of the Andromeda Galaxy becomes more than just a collection of stars, gas, and dust; it transforms into a poetic emblem of the cosmos, bridging ancient lore with contemporary discovery.
M 31 in late winter 2025 looking West. M33 is just left of Andromeda just below and right of the long triangle of stars.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you locate M31 heading to the west near the end of Winter. If you live in an area with a lot of lights, you will need binoculars to spot the galaxy
Find a Dark Sky: Choose a location away from city lights to minimize light pollution.
Identify the Constellation Cassiopeia: Look for the distinct W-shaped pattern of stars in the northern sky. It’s a key landmark for finding Andromeda.
Locate the Andromeda Constellation: From Cassiopeia, draw an imaginary line towards the constellation Pegasus through the middle of the W. Pegasus is recognizable by its large square shape, known as the Great Square of Pegasus.
Find Mirach: In the Andromeda constellation, locate the bright star Mirach (β Andromedae). It’s part of a chain of stars extending from the Great Square of Pegasus.
Spot the Galaxy: About 1 degree up and slightly to the right of Mirach, you’ll find a somewhat dimmer star called Mu Andromedae. From there, move your gaze about 7 degrees towards the upper left to see the fuzzy, oval-shaped patch of light that is M31.
On a clear night, Andromeda can be seen with the naked eye, appearing as a faint, elongated smudge. Using binoculars or a small telescope will enhance your view and reveal more details.
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