How to photograph the Bode’s Galaxy & Cigar Galaxy (M81 & M82)
A pair of bright interacting galaxies that frame together.
Photo byNASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)(Public domain)
When to shoot it from your location
About the Bode’s Galaxy & Cigar Galaxy
M81 is a spiral and M82 is an edge-on starburst galaxy with red hydrogen plumes coming out of its center. They sit high in the north, are circumpolar for much of the Northern Hemisphere and can be imaged on almost any clear night.
Gear and framing
The Bode’s Galaxy & Cigar Galaxy spans about 40′ of sky. It frames best with:
- Small refractor (250-600mm)
- Long focal length (800mm and up)
You can see how other people have built their rigs on RigDesigner, including my Sony a6700 and 60mm refractor rig.
Filters
This is a broadband target, which means its light is mostly starlight across the whole spectrum. Shoot it with no filter or a UV/IR cut filter. A broadband light pollution filter can help a little in the suburbs. Dual-band and narrowband filters block most of its light, so leave them off. Plan it for a moonless night at a dark site.
Tips
- A 400-600mm focal length fits both galaxies in one frame.
- Add hydrogen-alpha data to bring out M82’s red outflows.
Processing
Stack your light frames with darks and flats, then remove the background gradient before stretching. AstroBake does all of this for you. Point it at your folders of raw frames, then adjust the result with live sliders.