M31 - or not?

[Daz Type-R]

Had a good few hours last night in clear (ish) skies, got some cracking views of Jupiter, saw 4 of it's moons and got some good colour from it, also saw (just) the GRS so chuffed with that, which I don't think was too bad for my set up with moderate LP.

Any way, went after M31 last night and I think I found it, just like to ask everyone’s opinion of what M31 looks like? What I saw was just a fuzzy blob of light, very faint, could not see it with my eyes but was visible through the finder scope, no amount of magnification brought out any detail (not even a tiny bit), so I am now doubting if it was M31. I used Stellarium to get the general direction, I also used my Wixey to get the altitude and I also used a very bright Jupiter to help me get the area where M31 should be.

I tend to find some websites that you can use to check the views of things a bit hit and miss, so what do you guys and gals think? I know my description is a bit vauge but being at work I can not remember the name of the stars that are near M31 that I used to make sure I was in the right place.

[Spikey]

Sounds like M31, it looks like that from my garden. LP really washes the DSO's out. In contrast I was in the North Wales mountains last week with a pair of bins at night and M31 was just stunning.

[Daz Type-R]

Sounds like M31, it looks like that from my garden. LP really washes the DSO's out. In contrast I was in the North Wales mountains last week with a pair of bins at night and M31 was just stunning.

Ohh thats makes me feel so much better - lol

Think i am going to have to get myself to a dark site!!!

[scarecrow]

m31 in selesy was fantastic but looking at it last night in london was a tiny faint blur. Was such a disappointment from london

[Pete D]

Had exactly the same experience last night, went out to look for my first DSO the M31 and saw exactly the same, more of a white smudge and changing eyepieces didn't`seem to make much difference.

[Daz Type-R]

Would a LP filter make much difference?

[Pete D]

Tried one but it didnt seem to help

[Daz Type-R]

****** - dark site it is then!

[Pete D]

No it just seems to make the image lighter