DETAILS
Exposure: 17×900″ @ ISO 400
Telescope: Skywatcher Newton 8″ f5 with Baader MPCC
Filter: Hutech IDAS LPS 2″
Mount: Skywatcher EQ6 Pro
Camera: Modded Canon 350D in cooler box
Date: May 2009
Location: Cabrera de Mar (suburban site)
Comments: This shot was taken from my home, at a very light polluted area. I had a problem with terrible vertical banding, which I haven’t had before and after this shot, I don’t know yet what caused it.

The Whirlpool galaxy Messier (M51 and its companion NGC 5194, which are separeted 4’35») is probably the most wellknown spiral galaxy in the sky.
M51 is the brightest member of a small group of galaxies (M51 group), which also contains M63 and a number of fainter galaxies. It is located at a distance of approximately 37 light-years in the constellation Canes Venatici.