Andromeda galaxy, near impossible to find?

[Brainstorm]

I've been looking for this with both binoculars and through the telescope, but my attempts have always been fruitless.

I can see the constellation with my eyes, and roughly where the galaxy is (apparently at the end of the 3 stars that stick out the side of it), but just can't seem to get it in the scope. Is there a secret to this or do I need more powerful gear?

[cantab]

It took me several tries. But "3 stars that stick out the side of it"? That doesn't sound like how I got there. This month's The Sky At Night discusses it, from 15 minutes in.

[Brainstorm]

unfortunately the writing is on top of the 3 stars that stick out of the side in this pic, but they seem to lead to the galaxy. What technique did you use to get there?

[Strugz]

What scope are you using?

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk.

Skywatcher 130. 9mm 12mm 15mm 20mm 32mm revelation eps. Meade 10 x 50 bins.

[ronin]

From what you describe there seems to be something wrong. It is the 3 stars bit that isn't right.

Use Cassiopeia to locate Pegasus, and Alpheratz, then 2 stars along and look perpendicular to this second star the a fainter one and carry on about the same distance again.

Andromeda is faint and owing to the mechanism of the eye is not easy to "see" if looking at it directly by eye.

Another way to locate it is again to use Cassiopeia. Use the "steep" V of Cassiopeia as an "Arrow" that points to Andromedia. Works pretty well.

Under most conditions you can see Andromedia, even with some light pollution, whatever you would describe normal town level as, it can be picked out with binoculars,

If using a scope ypu will have problems as Andromeda is big and does not fit in a scopes foeld of view. So you see a bit of it and recognising that bit as Andromeda could be a problem.

By the way it is a faint grey smudge, and not overly distnict.

[cantab]

Ah, I see, you mean Beta, Mu, and Nu And.

First thing is of course to find Beta And (Mirach). I spent a long time thinking another star was Mirach, which gave me no end of confusion; it took a few tries to get this right. Delta And, about halfway between Alpheratz and Mirach, isn't hugely bright and I couldn't see it until I was properly dark-adapted.

From Mirach, go more or less up to get to Mu And, then continue to Nu And and the galaxy should be in the same FOV. Once the galaxy's in the FOV I doubt you'll miss, it was obvious to me even in LP skies with a full moon. (Well, that's for bino's; as mentioned the smaller field of a telescope is another matter).

(Bear in mind also that the orientation on the chart above won't generally match the orientation in the sky.)

[Strugz]

I use the 3 stars perpendicular to the 'main line' of Andromeda. I look at the constellation, find the line of 3 stars and it's right there. It is a smudge and takes a long time to start seeing any shape

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk.

Skywatcher 130. 9mm 12mm 15mm 20mm 32mm revelation eps. Meade 10 x 50 bins.

[Rob wright]

Took me a while to find it for the first time, in fact my wife found it first through some 8X30 bins after i said its there some where . then me in the starblast.

Now having got used to it find it first time every time (almost)

Don't expect more than a fuzzy smudge at first though

[brantuk]

Andromeda galaxy (M31) is a naked eye object on a very clear night with good seeing. In fact it's the only naked eye galaxy (others may differ on this lol).

To find it first time every time - find the Great Square in Pegasus. Get it the right way up and take the top left star in the square as a start point. Hop two bright stars left (making a shallow downward curve). Then head 90 degs upwards past two slightly fainter stars. Scan around the last star and it's just slightly up and right of that.

Double check where you are by taking a line from the sharp pointy bit of Cassiopea to where you are. It points straight at Andromeda.

(alternatively take a diagonal from bottom right to top left of Peg - extend till it crosses the pointer line from Cas - you'll be bang on M31).

[glowjet]

Light pollution could have something to do with it, but on the other hand Andromeda is quite large, covering some 700 square degrees or so of the celestial sphere, as a written guide you could do no better than acquire a copy of The Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders, which is very detailed and extremely informative on how to find this and many other Astronomical targets.

[John]

Andromeda galaxy (M31) is a naked eye object on a very clear night with good seeing. In fact it's the only naked eye galaxy (others may differ on this lol)....

It's my only naked eye galaxy too, from my back garden. If I can see M31 and the double cluster in Perseus with my eyes I know it's a good night for observing

[M4lcs67]

I was looking for it last week. I am pretty sure I found it, although it only appeared as a faint smudge through my telescope. I do have a pretty dark back garden, but still living close to a small town (Halifax) and various other areas with LP don't know for sure. 99% it was it.

[Crunchard]

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring!

If you look at one of my other threads you will see I had exactly the same problem ... can't not see it now I know exactly where to look.

Once you have it once it will be easy.

Cheers, Jeff

[rory]

i had a few failed attempts . but once id found it,and knew what to expect to see in my field of view,i find it reasonably easily every time now,even if the moon is up it can be made out with binoculars. in fact binoculars are probably best for finding m31 as youve really wide f.o.v. looks almost like a mist.

i think once youv got it, youll find it easier next time ,good luck..

[Keiran]

Hope you can see red...

The way that i was shown, use the second 'V' of the 'W' of cassiopeia and use it as an arrow to get to Mirach and then almost straight above you will see M31, it really sticks out

2.bmp

[Double Kick Drum]

Seems to be a slight difference of opinion in the best way of finding it.

Personally, if you have already sighted the constellation, I think using the two stars that stick out is the best way forward.

Draw a visual line from Beta to Mu Andromedae and continue it for the same distance - should take you just past Nu Andromedae.

The previous posts with maps explain better but I think you are already very close!

I would try with binoculars first. If you can see the guider stars, M31 should be viewable in a pair of bins.

[heathenwoods]

Great thread - a question I was too afraid to ask as it seemed like it was the galaxy that everyone else had seen.

Just one question for Brantuk: When you say, " find the Great Square in Pegasus. Get it the right way up," what does 'the right way up' mean?

Ta.

[RikM]

find the Great Square in Pegasus. Get it the right way up and take the top left star in the square as a start point. Hop two bright stars left (making a shallow downward curve). Then head 90 degs upwards past two slightly fainter stars. Scan around the last star and it's just slightly up and right of that.

Double check where you are by taking a line from the sharp pointy bit of Cassiopea to where you are. It points straight at Andromeda.

That's exactly the way I find it. Top left corner star, two across and two up and it's on the right. You need a low magnification EP.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I use Cassiopeia to find it. Luckily it is naked eye visible from my location so i usually have it within a few seconds of looking at Cass.

[hemihaggis]

try to fing it in a pair of bino`s , then when you get a to know what it looks likle and where it is ....attack with the scope , lol

[brantuk]

"Just one question for Brantuk: When you say, " find the Great Square in Pegasus. Get it the right way up," what does 'the right way up' mean?"

Easy - just make sure you are standing the right way round lol

(i.e. if the pointy bit of cassiopea is pointing down - the square will be under it - if it's pointing up then the square will be above it - this time of year you'll be looking East in the mid/late evening)

[Brainstorm]

It was right overhead when I viewed it the other night (or at least attempted to).. I think that's why it was hard to find; a virtually vertical scope on an EQ mount isn't the easiest to navigate. I'll try again tonight.

[stunt squirrel]

I had similar trouble, until I dusted off my old ETX70 and let it do the work for me. After that, it seemed obvious to star hop from Mirach. I had a small feeling of deflation however, as I expected to see something a bit more than just a smudge. Bino's offer an equally impressive view as my skywatcher 200P. Ask a freind with a laser pointer to come round? As for other bino targets, M13 was a good one this summer.

[heathenwoods]

Easy - just make sure you are standing the right way round lol

(i.e. if the pointy bit of cassiopea is pointing down - the square will be under it - if it's pointing up then the square will be above it - this time of year you'll be looking East in the mid/late evening)

Smashing! Thanks

[JimStan]

i had a few failed attempts . but once id found it,and knew what to expect to see in my field of view,i find it reasonably easily every time now,even if the moon is up it can be made out with binoculars. in fact binoculars are probably best for finding m31 as youve really wide f.o.v. looks almost like a mist.

i think once youv got it, youll find it easier next time ,good luck..

Excellent post ! In fact, I agree emphatically that the most satisfying view of the galaxy is through a pair of binoculars, probably 10 X 70s or there-abouts.

My son has a 5 inch F:3 "richest field" telescope that gives about a 15X magnification with a fairly long focus eyepiece, and the view through it is magnificent ! You sure don't need much power to see that object !

Once you know where it is, you can EASILY sweep it up in a pair of binoculars, or the finder scope of your telescope.

Good luck!

Jim S.