Messier 56

Over the years, I have imaged the globular cluster Messier 56 (M56) on two occasions, both captured from my backyard in Krefeld. The first dataset, obtained in 2005, dates back to my very first year of astrophotography and represents one of my earliest attempts at deep-sky imaging. Using basic DSLR equipment and a modest telescope, the resulting image was a valuable learning experience—revealing the faint, compact structure of M56 and marking the beginning of my long-term interest in capturing globular clusters.

A second imaging session in 2010 revisited the same target under similar conditions but with significantly improved technique and equipment. Longer integration times, more precise tracking, and refined calibration procedures led to noticeably better star definition and a higher signal-to-noise ratio. Although both images were taken from the same location, the comparison clearly illustrates the progress made in five years of practice and technological development.

Together, these two datasets document both the enduring appeal of M56 and a personal timeline of growth in deep-sky imaging skills and processing proficiency.

Data calibration and image registration was done in DeepSkyStacker, the advanced post-processing was performed in PixInsight.