RGB Data:
Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
70x180sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
Celestron 9.25 reduced 0.63
February 22, 2009

Hydrogen Alpha Data:
Meade DSI Pro 2 Mono
15x480sec
Darks/Flats Applied
Meade SN8 Reflector
Baader 1.25" 7nm H alpha filter
February 6 and 13, 2009

Collaboration with Ted Rafferty, using his Ha data and my RGB data to better show the HII regions of M51. I left the addition moderately subtle - there was so much Ha in this galaxy that it could have been much more vivid had I wanted.

Notice the INTENSE star formation in M51 in the outer arm facing the companion galaxy NGC 5195.