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M31 / Andromeda Galaxy

Classification: Spiral galaxy
Constellation: Andromeda (AND)
Object Location: Ra 00h 43m 35s Dec +41° 21’14° (current)
Size & Distance: 189.1 x 61.7 Apx 2.5 Million light-years.

Date & Location: 08-26-2011 Palomar Mountain, CA
Exposure: LRGB 60,45,45,45 L=20x60s, RGB=15x3ea, all (bin 1x1)
Optics: Takahashi Epsilon-210 / f3 630mm.
Mount: Astro-Physics 900 GTO / ATS 10x36 Pier
Camera: SBIG-STL6303E / FLI-PDF focuser / Guided by TV60APO / w SBIG-RGH
Filters: Astrodon G2 LRGB
Software: MaxImDL 4.56, Photoshop CS5, Topaz Lab.

Notes: Sky conditions: Average seeing, calm winds, mid 70’s
Image Field of view is 100 x 150 arcmin.
This image was an Astronomy Magazine Picture Of The Day and Editors choice in S&T 2011
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Andromeda, Also known as M31, or NGC 224, it is often referred to as the Great Andromeda Nebula in older texts. The Andromeda Galaxy is the nearest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way galaxy, but not the nearest galaxy overall.The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest galaxy of the Local Group, which also contains the Milky Way, the Triangulum Galaxy, and about 44 other smaller galaxies.
Also in the FOV are the two satellite galaxies M110 (NGC205) and M32 (NGC221)
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