Imaging M101 The Pinwheel Galaxy using a zenithstar 61ii refractor

 Another session in the back of the garden. You can read about my previous one and some of the limitations I face here: 

https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/03/imaging-session-ngc-2304-intermediate.html

This time I managed to do two nights on the same target and so gather nearly five hours of acquistion time! 

The Pinwheel Galaxy, home of a famous supernova and bright blue arms filled with newborn stars is a spiral galaxy 170,000 lightyears across, located 25 million lightyears away from Earth in the Ursa Major constellation.

The giant spiral disk of stars, dust, and gas is 170,000 light-years across — nearly twice the diameter of our galaxy, the Milky Way and astronomers estimate that M101 contains at least one trillion stars.

The galaxy’s spiral arms are sprinkled with large regions of star-forming nebulas. These nebulas are areas of intense star formation within giant molecular hydrogen clouds. Brilliant, young clusters of hot, blue, newborn stars trace out the spiral arms.

Sadly, I havent quite managed to capture the bluish colour with pink hydrogen cloud rich spots. Hard work is this post editing learning journey! 🤔 I may have mentioned that before! 😆

And for those who like a competition - how many galaxies can you see in the image?



For those wanting to know the acquisition and post editing details:

Equipment:

• Canon 800D astromodded camera paired with zenithstar 61ii refractor and its 61A field flattener.
• Clip in Optolong L-Pro filter.
• Autoguiding uses ASIair Mini with ZWO 120mm mini and RVO 32mm guiderscope.
• The entire rig is powered by a Celestron Lithium Pro power pack and three smaller power banks.
• The mount is a skywatcher EQM-35-PRO.

Data capture details:
Two consecutive nights in back garden under bortle 4 skies. On both nights:

• lights 240" x 40, at ISO 800.
• Calibration frames - 10 dark, 30 bias and 50 flats.

Post editing workflow:
SIRIL:

• crop - autoBGE - veralux NOX - image plate solve - SPCC colour calibration - Aberration remover
• Starnett - veralux hypermetric stretch - veralux curves - veralux revela - veralux star recomposer
• veralux vectra - cosmic clarity denoise and sharpen

Affinity Photo:

• curves and leves - contrast - brightness

If you want to know more about my post editing SIRIL workflow you can find out more here: https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/12/beginner-tutorial-workflow-for-using.html

I couldn't quite capture the bluish tinge to the arms or the pink spots of the hydrogen gas areas - very frustrating. I also think that the images are a little npoisy and so I need to possibly rethink my work flow order. 

As always, feel free to share your images of M101 along with some acquistion details in the comment box below. If you have some processing tips - share them as well. 

As always, clear skies, stay safe out there and keep looking up! 

Steve 

Wise words

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Monthly sky guide April 2026

 The April night sky - what can we see and image this month? 

DATE	ASTRONOMY	ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
1st	Moon: Bright waxing gibbous, almost full; ·       Planets: After dusk, Venus and Jupiter low in the west; Venus is the brighter “evening star”, Jupiter higher toward Gemini. ·       Deep sky: Focus on bright showpieces: M42 in Orion (early evening), M35 in Gemini, and the Pleiades (M45) before they sink.	Great for binocular sweeps along the terminator, but it will wash out faint galaxies
2nd	Full moon passes south of Spica ·       Moon: Full Pink Moon - excellent for naked‑eye halo phenomena and atmospheric colour ·       Planets: Venus and Jupiter still visible briefly after sunset; use the Moon as a brightness comparison exercise. ·       Deep sky: Restrict to bright clusters: M44 (Beehive) in Cancer, M41 below Sirius, and open clusters in Auriga with binoculars.	Edge on spiral galaxies really visible this month Try looking for NGC 4244, NGC 4228, NGC 4631
3rd	·       Moon: Slightly past full, still very bright; try high‑power views of ray systems around Tycho and Copernicus. ·       Planets: Mercury at greatest western elongation—look low in the eastern pre‑dawn sky; binoculars help pick it out of twilight. ·       Deep sky: Galaxy hunting is tough; instead, explore double stars like Castor, Algieba (Leo), and Mizar/Alcor in Ursa Major.	1–3 April — Bright Moon (Full Moon 2nd) Skyglow is severe; stick to bright, high‑surface‑brightness galaxies. Recommended targets M81 & M82 (Bode’s + Cigar) — bright, resilient to moonlight; excellent for small apertures. M94 (Croc’s Eye Galaxy) — compact core, handles moonlight well. M63 (Sunflower Galaxy) — bright central region still photographable.
4th	·       Moon: Waning gibbous rising later in the evening; good for late‑night crater work in small scopes. ·       Planets: Pre‑dawn: Mercury, Saturn (low), and possibly Mars if above your horizon—use a planetarium app for exact positions.	Comets: C/2026 A1 (MAPS) evenings early month;   Deep sky: Early evening before moonrise - M81/M82 in Ursa Major and M51 near the end of the Big Dipper’s handle.
5th	Moon watch – look for crater ‘columbo’ ·       Moon: Waning gibbous; try binocular earthshine on the dark limb just after moonrise. ·       Planets: Venus and Jupiter still low after sunset; track their slow shift night to night.	·       Deep sky: Continue with bright galaxies: M65/M66 in Leo, and the Leo Triplet in a 15–20 cm scope.
6th	·       Moon: High waning gibbous; explore the southern highlands—Clavius and surrounding craters are excellent in small apertures. ·       Planets: Pre‑dawn Mercury window is shrinking; check for it in brightening twilight. ·       Deep sky: Use higher magnification on M81/M82 and M51 to tease out structure in a 20 cm scope under darker skies.	4–7 April — Waning Gibbous Still bright, but late‑night windows improve. Recommended targets M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy) — bright core; spiral structure possible with careful processing. NGC 4565 (Needle Galaxy) — edge‑on, high contrast; excellent in April. Leo Triplet (M65, M66, NGC 3628) — classic galaxy trio.
7th	·       Moon: Waning, approaching last quarter; shadows lengthen on the western limb, revealing subtle relief. ·       Planets: Jupiter sets earlier each evening; note how quickly it disappears into the Sun’s glare over the month. ·       Deep sky: Try globular cluster M3 in Canes Venatici—visible in binoculars, resolved in a 15–20 cm scope.
8th	·       Moon: Around last‑quarter phase; ideal for studying the Apennine and Caucasus mountain ranges near Mare Imbrium. ·       Planets: Venus remains a bright evening object; small scopes show its gibbous phase. ·       Deep sky: Sweep the Coma Berenices star field with binoculars; pick out the Coma Star Cluster (Melotte 111).
9th	·       Moon: Last‑quarter; good contrast along the terminator, less skyglow than earlier in the month. ·       Planets: Look for Saturn low in the pre‑dawn southeast; small scopes may show the ring system in steady seeing. ·       Deep sky: Start exploring the Virgo Cluster: begin with M84/M86 and the “Markarian’s Chain” region in a 20 cm scope.
10th	Arcturus is high in south early after midnight ·       Moon: Waning crescent in the early morning sky; try naked‑eye and binocular views with foreground landscapes. ·       Planets: Mercury now sinking into the Sun’s glare; Venus/Jupiter still evening highlights. ·       Deep sky: With darker late evenings, revisit Leo galaxies and M3; note how much more you see with the Moon out of the way.
11th	·       Moon: Thin crescent before dawn; excellent for earthshine photography with telephoto lenses or small scopes. ·       Planets: Venus dominates the western sky after sunset; compare its brightness to Sirius. ·       Deep sky: Binocular tour: M44, M67 in Cancer, and the Beehive’s surrounding field.
12th	·       Moon: Very thin waning crescent, soon lost in solar glare—deep‑sky conditions improving. ·       Planets: Jupiter very low; Venus still easy. ·       Deep sky: Galaxy season in full swing: M95, M96, M105 in Leo; M64 (Black Eye Galaxy) in Coma Berenices for 15–20 cm scopes.
13th	·       Moon: Near new; effectively no lunar interference for most of the night. ·       Planets: Focus on Venus in the evening and Saturn in the pre‑dawn if visible. ·       Deep sky: Prime night for Virgo Cluster marathons—use charts from magazines/blogs to hop between Messier galaxies.	8–12 April — Approaching Dark Window Moonlight fades; galaxy season opens fully. Recommended targets Markarian’s Chain (Virgo Cluster) — prime April target; rich field of galaxies. M101 (Pinwheel Galaxy) — overhead in Ursa Major; ideal placement. M64 (Black Eye Galaxy) — compact, forgiving for small scopes. M94 — excellent for modest apertures. ( M101, M64, M63, M51, and Markarian’s Chain as April’s best‑placed objects. )
14th	·       Planets: Venus bright; small scopes can show its disk clearly. ·       Deep sky: Try a “spring triangle” tour: Regulus (Leo), Arcturus (Boötes), and Spica (Virgo), then hop to nearby galaxies and globulars.	·       Lyrid meteor shower: active 14–30 April, peak 22–23 April ·       Moon: Dark; perfect for wide‑field Milky Way imaging in the early‑morning hours if your latitude still allows it.
15th	M51 whirlpool galaxy virtually overhead ·       Moon: Still essentially new; deep‑sky window continues. ·       Planets: Check for early activity from the Lyrid meteor shower after midnight, radiating from Lyra. ·       Deep sky: In Lyra, split the double‑double (Epsilon Lyrae) in a small scope; in Hercules, catch M13 rising late.	13–17 April — New Moon Approaches (Peak Deep‑Sky Window) This is the best imaging period of the entire month. Recommended targets Virgo Cluster Marathon: M84, M86, M87, M88, M89, M90, NGC 4435/4438 (“Markarian’s Eyes”). Coma Berenices galaxies: NGC 4565, NGC 4559, NGC 4725. M3 (globular cluster) — bright, excellent for small apertures. M53 + NGC 5053 — contrasting pair of globulars.
16th	Twilight AM - 2% lit moon close to mars, Saturn, mercury and Neptune ·       Moon: Very young waxing crescent low in the west after sunset—lovely naked‑eye and binocular target. ·       Planets: Crescent Moon plus Venus/Jupiter make for attractive wide‑field photo compositions. ·       Deep sky: Early evening still bright; focus on brighter clusters, then move to galaxies once twilight deepens.
17th	·       New Moon: 17 April (best deep‑sky window) ·       Planets: Venus/Jupiter low in the west; Saturn and possibly Mars in the pre‑dawn. ·       Deep sky: Ideal night for ambitious galaxy runs: Virgo Cluster, Coma Cluster region, and extended imaging sessions.
18th	2% lit waxing crescent moon around twilight evening ·       Moon: Slim waxing crescent; look for earthshine (“Da Vinci glow”) in binoculars. ·       Planets: Moon–Venus conjunction—beautiful pairing at dusk, perfect for naked‑eye and telephoto shots. ·       Deep sky: After the pair sets, continue with M51, M81/M82, and M101 in Ursa Major.
19th	Dusk – 7% lit crescent moon east of m45 Pleiades and Venus just below ·       Moon: Slightly thicker crescent, higher at dusk. ·       Planets: Moon still near Venus in the sky; track their changing separation night to night. ·       Deep sky: In a 20 cm scope, attempt detail in M51’s spiral arms and hints of structure in M101 under dark skies.
20th	From 2010 to 0034 Callisto’s shadow transits Jupiter’s disc and Ganymede reappears from occultation at 23.00 Ganymede goes into eclipse at 0045 ·       Moon: Waxing crescent approaching first quarter; terminator crosses Mare Serenitatis and Mare Tranquillitatis. ·       Planets: Venus bright; Jupiter fading into twilight. ·       Deep sky: Lyrids now active—watch after midnight, facing east toward Lyra; expect modest rates but occasional bright meteors.	18–22 April — Early Waxing Moon Moon returns but remains low; galaxies still viable until ~midnight. Recommended targets M51 (Whirlpool) — revisit under darker skies for better spiral detail. M63 (Sunflower) — strong April target. M94 — bright and compact. M58, M59, M60 — bright Virgo ellipticals.
21st	Look for open cluster M35 in Gemini this evening around 23.00 lies 3 degrees south of crescent moon ·       Moon: Near first quarter; excellent for lunar observing—craters Theophilus, Cyrillus, and Catharina well placed. ·       Planets: Evening: Venus; late night: Saturn rising. ·       Deep sky: Lyrid meteor shower near peak—observe after midnight with naked eye from a dark site.
22nd	·       Moon: First‑quarter Moon; bright but not overwhelming. ·       Planets: Moon–Jupiter conjunction—catch them together in the evening sky; Venus nearby makes a three‑planet plus Moon tableau. ·       Deep sky: Lyrid peak night (22–23); despite the Moon, brighter meteors will still be visible.
23rd	Looking at Venus through binoculars will also reveal Uranus 46 arcminutes to south ·       Moon: Waxing gibbous; more skyglow, but still good for high‑contrast lunar features. ·       Planets: Venus/Jupiter window shrinking; note their positions relative to bright stars like Betelgeuse and the Gemini twins. ·       Deep sky: Post‑peak Lyrids continue; otherwise, focus on bright globulars M3 and M13.
24th	·       Moon: Waxing gibbous; Mare Nubium and Mare Humorum regions show fine rilles and wrinkle ridges in small scopes. ·       Planets: Venus remains the go‑to evening planet. ·       Deep sky: Comet C/2025 R3 may be emerging in the eastern pre‑dawn sky—use binoculars and current charts; brightness uncertain.	23–26 April — Waxing Gibbous Skyglow increases; switch to bright clusters and compact galaxies. Recommended targets M13 (Hercules Globular Cluster) — excellent even in moonlight. M92 — smaller but bright. M57 (Ring Nebula) — small, high surface brightness. M27 (Dumbbell Nebula) — workable with filters. (globular clusters and planetary nebulae remain strong when transparency is mediocre or moonlight is present. )
25th	Look for Plato’s hook – find Plato crater on moon around 20.20 and look for shadow curvature ·       Moon: Bright gibbous; good for lunar sketching and imaging. ·       Planets: Check pre‑dawn for Saturn and any visible Mars; low altitude will challenge small scopes. ·       Deep sky: Restrict to bright objects: M13, M92 in Hercules, and M5 in Serpens later in the night.
26th	·       Moon: Approaching full again; strong skyglow. ·       Planets: Venus still prominent; Jupiter nearly gone into the Sun’s glare. ·       Deep sky: Double‑star night: Izar in Boötes, Cor Caroli in Canes Venatici, and Polaris as a test of seeing.
27th	·       Moon: Very bright waxing gibbous; try limb‑grazing occultations of faint stars if listed in almanacs. Moon – look for the clair-obscure effect known as ‘jewelled handle’ around 0130 ·       Planets: Venus as usual; pre‑dawn Saturn. ·       Deep sky: Comet C/2025 R3 still potentially binocular‑visible in the pre‑dawn east; check updated predictions.	27–30 April — Approaching Full Moon Again Return to moon‑resistant targets. Recommended targets M13 & M92 — best late‑month options. M57 (Ring) — excellent for small scopes. M81/M82 — bright cores still photographable. M94 — compact and moon‑tolerant.
28th	Ganymede hidden by Jupiter – an occultation around 23.50 ·       Moon: Nearly full; strong illumination for landscape‑plus‑Moon photography. ·       Planets: Venus in the west; compare its phase night to night in a small scope. ·       Deep sky: Focus on bright open clusters and doubles; galaxies will be washed out.
29th	·       Moon: Very bright; subtle lunar albedo features (maria vs highlands) stand out in binoculars. ·       Planets: Venus remains the main evening target; Saturn pre‑dawn.	·       Deep sky: Try bright planetary nebulae like M57 (Ring Nebula) in Lyra and M27 (Dumbbell) later at night with an OIII/UHC filter.
30th	·       Moon: Just past full; deep‑sky conditions poor, but lunar detail still rich along the slightly shifted terminator. ·       Planets: End‑of‑month check‑in: Venus still high; Jupiter essentially lost; Saturn a pre‑dawn object. ·       Deep sky: Wrap the month with a “greatest hits” tour: M13, M3, M81/M82, and M51—compare your views to earlier in the month under darker skies.