It's a lot of fun, but with a rather steep learning curve regarding obtaining the images, maintaining precise tracking and processing the raw data. In fact processing the data is a field unto itself and is really addictive trying to squeeze all the existing data.
BTW, I find galaxies fascinating. Here is one of the more recent shots of M51. I'm still learning techniques to shoot these objects, as they are extreme low light objects, and not easy for me to process the data.
M-51 Whirlpool Galaxy and NGC 5195 - Estimated at about 37 million light years from Earth. It's diameter is about 100 thousand light years.
In 2005 a star exploded into a supernova within the galaxy. The total mass of M51 is estimated the equivalent of 160 billion suns.
By all accounts, it's believed a black hole exists at the core of this galaxy.
To put things in perspective, most of the stars seen in the image, those that are not part of the galaxy, seen surrounding the galaxy, are much closer to us. The Galaxy itself is unbelievably further away than most of those surrounding stars...Deep back in time, so to speak.
35x120 second exposures @ISO 800-6.3 focal reducer, w/Astonomik LP filter.