# Imaging the Andromeda Galaxy

**URL:** <https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/imaging-the-andromeda-galaxy/1674>\
**Category:** Astrophotography\
**Created:** [July 13, 2026, 5:51am UTC](https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/imaging-the-andromeda-galaxy/1674 "2026-07-13T05:51:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CatsPaw](https://discourse.okcastro.club/user_avatar/discourse.okcastro.club/catspaw/32/474_2.png) [@CatsPaw](https://discourse.okcastro.club/u/CatsPaw)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2026, 5:51am UTC](https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/imaging-the-andromeda-galaxy/1674/1 "2026-07-13T05:51:45Z")

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Here is another image of the Andromeda Galaxy. Other excellent versions have been shown recently by [Ryan](https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/andromeda-galaxy-10-2-24/890) and [Aaron](https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/andromeda-galaxy/968). In this one, I’m using my 80 mm Asker Extra-low Dispersion (ED) refraction scope that I won at OkieTex last year. The final image has about 2.8 hours of integration time.

I setup the scope using the 0.7 Reducer (392 mm focal length) on the morning of July 11th, 2026 and took 375 images of Andromeda between 2:00 and 4:30 am from my light polluted backyard in Oklahoma City. Each image from my ZWO 183 camera had a 20-second exposure and a gain value of 100. The collection was repeated on the 14th and 15th of July. The camera was held at 5 degrees C and I was using an Optolong L-Pro light pollution filter. I selected 497 images of the 1000 shots and stacked them using in PixInSight and Adobe Photoshop. I also used a 128 mm focal length Asker guide scope with a QHY5-II-M camera on an Atlas EQ-G equatorial mount. Other software included: NINA, PHD, Plate Solver 2, and Stellarium.

 ![M31_Andromeda_Galaxy_3_hours](https://discourse.okcastro.club/uploads/default/original/2X/a/ae9c8a6f29310e1233e932d18f7d654753aa98e8.jpeg)[M31\_Andromeda\_Galaxy\_3\_hours](https://flic.kr/p/2spHm5v) by [chris varner](https://www.flickr.com/photos/191559580@N03/), on Flickr

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**Author:** ![jenisonam](https://discourse.okcastro.club/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@jenisonam](https://discourse.okcastro.club/u/jenisonam)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 1:58pm UTC](https://discourse.okcastro.club/t/imaging-the-andromeda-galaxy/1674/2 "2026-07-14T13:58:56Z")

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Your image looks great to me for just 1.5 hours. Integration time is everything. Also thank you for the compliment.