SGO - 007, Andromeda Galaxy (M31)
- Tom Shankapotomous
- 4 days ago
- 1 min read
SGO Field Report — Deep Sky Observation
Object: Andromeda Galaxy (M31)
Object Type: Spiral Galaxy
Constellation: Andromeda
Date of Capture: January 7, 2026
Location: Concord, North Carolina, USA
Observing Conditions
Clear skies
Moderate transparency
No significant wind
Typical suburban light pollution
Acquisition Details
Capture System:
ZWO Seestar S50 Smart Telescope
Capture Method:
Automated deep-sky acquisition
Lights only (no calibration frames used)
Total Subframes = 2,622 FITS light frames
Subframe Format - FITS (.fits)
Stacking & Integration
Stacking Software:
Astro Pixel Processor (APP)
Workflow Summary
FITS light frames imported into APP
Standard star analysis, registration, normalization, and integration
Single high-bit-depth master stack produced
Output File: 32-bit TIFF (linear)
Post-Processing
Software: GIMP running on POP!OS
Processing Steps
Import of final stacked TIFF into GIMP
Moderate global balancing
Controlled curves adjustments
No aggressive sharpening or noise reduction
No compositing or object isolation
Processing Intent: preserve structural integrity of M31 while maintaining a natural tonal gradient and avoiding over-processing artifacts.
Notes
Dust lanes within the galactic disk are visible despite suburban sky conditions
Core brightness intentionally retained without clipping
Background noise and gradient reflect real sky conditions rather than artificial flattening
Archival Status
Raw FITS subs archived
Final stacked TIFF archived
GIMP working file retained
JPEG derivative created for publication/reference
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