While the Andromeda Galaxy, or M31, is celebrated as our Milky Way's nearest spiral neighbor, there are intriguing lesser-known aspects to this cosmic wonder. Recent measurements hint that Andromeda might be a bit closer than the widely quoted 2.5 million light-years, emphasizing the ever-evolving nature of our astronomical knowledge.

Andromeda's invisible halo of dark matter, its history of galactic cannibalism, and its impending collision with the Milky Way in about 4.5 billion years add layers to its mystique. Within its vast expanse lie ancient star clusters, older than their Milky Way counterparts, offering insights into the early cosmos. Beyond its beauty, M31 harbors a universe of secrets, making it an enduring subject of astronomical wonder.

Image Description and Details : 

Canon T3i (Dr. Caos)Samyang 135Sky Watcher Star AdventurerIntervalometroTomas: 60x60sIso: 1600F: 2.2Pixinsight 1.8Guillermo Cervantes MosquedaObservatorio CeCuCiMixtlán Jalisco México

Copyright Information: Guillermo Cervantes Mosqueda

Here is an image of Andromeda Clouds in HaRGB, with 23 hours of total exposure.
Captured during 6 nights of New Moon from Pioz, Guadalajara, Spain.

It is the biggest project I have done since I started doing astrophotography and it is an honor for me to be one of the few astrophotographers who have photographed these strange clouds in color.

You can see more information and photos in my section of the website:
https://aipastroimaging.com/m31-ha-clouds-hargb/

In full resolution:

https://aipastroimaging.com/wp-content/uploads/full-resolution/Andromeda_Clouds_16200_HaRGB_horizontal_AIP.jpg

This photo was taken with this setup:

Telescope: Takahashi FSQ106EDX (f/5)
Mount: Takahashi EM-400 Temma2
Camera: Atik 16200 (Kodak KAF16200)
Guider: Lunático EZG-60 + SXLodestar
Filters: Baader Ha 7nm, Baader LRGB
Focuser: RoboFocus Rev3.1
Date: November and December 2018
Place: Pioz, Guadalajara, España
Software: MaxIm DL + AstroMatic
Processing: PixInsight Core + Photoshop CC
Exposure: Ha: 80x900s bin2, RGB: 12x300s bin2.

Total: 23h

Copryright: Álvaro Ibáñez Pérez