M31 with the naked eye from my back garden

[lensman57]

Hi,

What a night it turned out to be. I was working till 1 am and when I got home the clouds just went away. I set up for imaging M31 at about 2.10 am I started the run. At 4.20am the run finished and I just looked up where the scope was pointing and for the first time ever from the corner of my eye I could just about make out the little fuzz with a bright core, for sure it was M31. Not bad for a back garden in the LP zone of Manchester. Every once in a while in the early hours of the morning the sky becomes so transparent and early this morning was one of those rare moments for where I live.

Regards,

A.G

[Owmuchonomy]

Nice one. Once you know where to look it becomes quite easy to spot. Can you also see the double cluster between Perseus and Cassiopeia? That's a good test too. Good luck.

[lensman57]

Nice one. Once you know where to look it becomes quite easy to spot. Can you also see the double cluster between Perseus and Cassiopeia? That's a good test too. Good luck.

Thanks Chris, if it ever gets clear like last night I will certainly try for it.

A.G

[swamp thing]

Spotting or tryng to spot objects with ones naked eye is good fun ismt it. It can get very addictive.

[Walshie79]

M31 naked eye (OK, with glasses!) is pretty easy here on a clear night with no moon. Double Cluster is even easier, as is M44.

M13 is difficult, I have seen it but only very faintly on a perfectly clear night. And Epsilon Lyrae I managed to see as double for the first time this year, that is tricky and only possible when high up.

Never managed to see M33 without binoculars anywhere. But I think M34, 35 and 39 are possible from here, if I get the perfect night...

[glowingturnip]

M8 (Lagoon neb) is naked eye visible if you have a good southern horizon and can see the milky way - a little knot in the MW, in an isosceles triangle with kaus borealis and mu sag

[acey]

Naked-eye visibility of M31 requires a naked-eye stellar magnitude limit of about 5. Visibility of M33 requires better than 6.5.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Ive always found that at about 4am is the best time for observing because the Earth has lost as much heat as it is going to lose and the air is so calm. It makes for a really good experience. Well done on M31. I kind of take it for granted as i see it most nights with the naked eye.

[Dave_D]

next time you're imaging and you see a small tent in your back garden out of the corner of your eye, ignore it... it won't be me honest...

[lensman57]

Ive always found that at about 4am is the best time for observing because the Earth has lost as much heat as it is going to lose and the air is so calm. It makes for a really good experience. Well done on M31. I kind of take it for granted as i see it most nights with the naked eye.

Totally there with you. If it is real clear then it will be at its best about 4.00 am . I have only been imaging for about 18 months now and this level of crazy clarity has only happened 3 times when I could  look up at the sky rather than the laptop screen. Most of the other times the transparemcy is at best mediocre to say the least.

Regards,

A.G

[LukeSkywatcher]

I am not a religious person, and i dont want to drag religion into astronomy, but the closest experience to a religious moment was about 4am one morning when the air was as clean/calm as it was going to get and the Cheshire cat was grinning down at me. I was so at one with the universe..........it really was a spine tingling moment. 

A truly beautiful experience.