First 3 nights No Joy

[RainLaw]

Hi chaps,

I've just purchase me first scope but apart from looking at jupiter I can't find anything. I've been spending 90% of me time search for M31 will no joy.

Me Telrad came today in the post so I figured I'd have it lock down but still no joy.

I've only got the 25mm and 10mm that came with the scope are they good enough to view it with either of those EP's?

Will it be totally obvious when it finally falls into view?

[Nexus 6]

Yup it will stand out, stick to the 25mm eyepiece, I guess you already have Stellarium, if calibrated to your home location it should help to pin it down.

I tend to find it a touch higher in the sky than I imagine when I use my binoculars or the dob to look at it.

Hope you manage to see it when you next get the chance

[LukeSkywatcher]

Yup it will stand out, stick to the 25mm eyepiece, I guess you already have Stellarium, if calibrated to your home location it should help to pin it down.

I tend to find it a touch higher in the sky than I imagine when I use my binoculars or the dob to look at it.

Hope you manage to see it when you next get the chance

Funny you mention that its always a bit higher then you expect it to be. Its the same for me. Its a naked eye object for me but i always seem to start looking for it a bit lower down then it actually is.

P.S.~~~i agree,stick with the 25mm to find it. Even when found............use the 25mm to observe it. Averted vision (looking to either side of it instead of directly at it) will give you better results when you get used to this method of observing.

Here is an image i have. Not great but it shows how i find M31:

Cassiopia is marked by the red lines. M31 is in the blue circle. Basically i start on the right hand side of Cass and move down until the smudge of M31 is in my FOV.

[damnut]

Hi Rainlaw,

new scope = 1 month of cloud :-)....In a very short period you wil know that the ep's supplied could be better. When you have saved up a bit try the BST explorers about £40 a pop. Punch above their weight!!

Good luck with the new scope & clear skies.

[Rob wright]

It took me ages to find m31 and when I did my wife saw it first through some 8 x 30 bins. I showed her where it should be as i was setting up my scope one night and she got it first.

that after weeks of searching for it but now i get it quite easily.

try Orion as thats an easy target with loads to see as well if your up late enough

[LukeSkywatcher]

Here's a slightly better image (haha thats debateable): This is a few 12x5 second exposures badly stacked together. It shows M31 a bit clearer. Once you find it once, it will forever jump out at you. Even in this image you can tell that it really only is the core that you are seeing. The spiral arms splay way out on either side (not visible here but you can get a hint/feel for them)

[Astro Imp]

Hi,

It does take time and practice to find objects. M31 is good to start with because once you're in the right place it leaves you in no doubt.

Don't give up and take your time. You made a good choice to get a Telrad as that will make navigation much easier.

Here is a set of Telrad charts for all the Messier objects that you might find handy.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[RainLaw]

ahhhh thx chaps.......feel abit more confident again

[Nexus 6]

ahhhh thx chaps.......feel abit more confident again

am certain you will pick it out, let us know what you thought of it when you do

[Mr Spock]

Have tried using binoculars? They are an easy way of finding your way around the sky. Once you get used to seeing the patterns of stars through binoculars, locating objects with the scope becomes a lot easier.

[RainLaw]

I actually went out late last night with the binocs, I'm confident i';l be finding it next clearskys, I'll keep u posted

[eid]

Have you heard of the book "Turn Left at Orion"? It's aimed at new astronomers and gives easy to follow directions for finding 100 objects in the sky.

I found it very helpful and highly recommend it. I found M31 quite quickly following its directions, and I live on the edge of London so my skies are terrible.

[Astro Imp]

ahhhh thx chaps.......feel abit more confident again

That's the spirit, once you have found a couple of objects you'll wonder how you struggled to start with.

Good luck.