From: "milton_aupperle" <milton@outcastsoft.com>

Date: May 26, 2012 12:19:34 PM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: M51

Hi Folks;

The torrential rains we had this week finally stopped and I had a few hours last night to get my HEQ5 mount drift aligned and then decided to try to do some DSO imaging. It gets dark here at around 12: 15 am.

I only captured 3 luma frames before it clouded over at about 2 am.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Astro_IIDC/files/DSO/M51_Luma_220120525_MJA.jpg

That's three 16 minute exposures stacked in Astro IIDC. I was guiding on a Mag 9 or 10 star at 1 second exposures. Seeing was in the 3 to 3.5  arc second FWHM range. No darks or Flat frames and camera cooled to -5°C (ambient temperature was about +5°C).

That is probably my best M51 I have taken so far.

TTYL..

Milton Aupperle