This image of M31, the Andromeda Galaxy, was captured as a small first-light project with my new William Optics RedCat 51 WIFD, taken from a remote site in Fairfield, Utah. The total integration is just 1.5 hours (30 × 180s) using the ASI2600MC Air, shorter than I would normally aim for, but enough to start exploring what this scope is capable of.

The night itself was a challenge. I originally set out to install a new mask on my Apertura Carbonstar 200 and work on Betelgeuse, but extreme cold (around 8°F) made polar alignment difficult and caused the focuser to slip repeatedly. After nearly two hours of troubleshooting, I decided to pivot and swap over to the RedCat 51 instead.

My initial plan was to spend several hours on the Seagull Nebula using Askar Color Magic D1 and D2 filters for a faux-SHO composition, but by that point the temperature and fatigue were setting in. I opted for a shorter, simpler target and framed Andromeda for a quick session before tearing the rig down.

Unfortunately, ASIAIR refused to cooperate when it came time to capture flats, and with the cold becoming unmanageable, I packed up without them. Knowing the limitations going into processing—short integration and no flats—I was still pleasantly surprised by how much structure and dust detail could be recovered from the data.

This was never meant to be a “perfect” image, but as a first-light run for the RedCat 51, it gave me a lot of confidence in the system. I already have a follow-up project planned on my remote rig, where I’ll aim for significantly more integration and add narrowband data to try and capture the faint OIII arc surrounding Andromeda.