m31 andromeda ... very.. meh

[alexog]

If you can find it in bins, you an find it in a big dob. Please remember people, worst skies ever! Roll on Autumn...

[JamesF]

Just wasted an hour out the back trying to find this thing with my 10x50 bins and failed miserably, cant wait to get a goto scope now to find stuff for me

Are you also working from a fairly light-polluted site?

James

[kevrees]

Are you also working from a fairly light-polluted site?

James

You could say that yes, my guess would be its like your typical back garden in a terraced house with street lights and what-not, it could be a lot better but then again it could also be a lot worse. To be honest i think its me as i have also been trying to practice star hopping between the stars in the plough as well, just to get some practice in so to speak and found that to be quite a challenge in itself. I guess learning all this stuff is like everything else, it comes with lots of practice.

[John]

M31 was just about visible to the naked eye from my back garden tonight. Very clear in an 8x50 finder too. As has been said though, these summer skies are not the best for finding galaxies, especially if you have not seen any before.

[Jim-a]

My first time for M31 last night as well. Got it in bins first & then through the scope. Couldn't see it with naked eye though - but am assuming that the fact it was only just clearing a neighbours roof, and they had some lights on which were in my field of view with the naked eye, but not with the bins or scope was making it more difficult.

[LeeB]

I had a quick look at Andro. last night too. It was ok with a 43mm (70degree) eyepiece through 10 inch (i know exit pupil is a bit over at 8.9mm) 2/3rds filled the 2.5 degree field with a hint of detail, but agree was not the best seen. The light july skies are probably the cause.

[maclean]

Hey alexog its pretty neat aint it. Like you say, i don't think it is 100% precise, however can give you a good idea of the general areas that you want to aim for.

Another thing is, I used to think that LP was just a few miles, so if you go a few miles (say 5 - 10) out of a built up area, your getting 100% black skies. Some of the maps and apps I've looked at show, you really need to get many miles out into the proper sticks to get good skies, and even still you don't get 100% darkness.

And I do relise when I'm looking at these objects how amazing it is, but I also have a sense of when I'm not getting the full picture... I am about 80% certain that, I'm missing out big time on this one as according to the light simulator, my location is just 1 step on Bortle scale less lightpoluted than central london!

Im hoping that with some good weather on the horizon, im planning on going camping/stargazing with some familly in either North Yorkshire Dales or Wales. i will update this thread, when/if I ever get there!

Thanks everyone.

P.S the sketch adjustment I done earlier in the thread was done in a bright sunlit room, its not till looking at it in night hours that I see it needs to be darkened even more as it was only the smallest smear that I seen.