M32 and M110

[jason.p]

I've just been looking around M31 to try and spot the other two. Are they difficult to pick out, or are they covered in the "fuzz" of M31. I was using my 25mm EP which gives 48X mag and was getting a fairly good view. I was going to try other EPs when misty cloud rolled in and it started to rain. Would I be better off with a lower mag EP or is it a bit of a tough one for my scope?

Thanks

Jason

[John]

M32 is close to M31 but clear of the galactic "halo" from the larger galaxy. It resembles a brightish fuzzy star. M110 is much fainter and a little further from M31, on the other side from M32. It's easy to miss in less than dark skies.

[ollypenrice]

When you look at a star chart you are seeing the full extent of M31. What you see at the eyepiece is much smaller so the satellites appear remote from M31.

Olly

[jabberwocky]

I fit all three in my 38mm 70* eyepiece, that's 31X mag.

[jason.p]

Thanks for replies, I'll keep trying. The sky appeared really clear last night until the cloud moved in, but I don't think the "seeing" was so good (possibly a dew prob). Not a wasted session, Jupiter made it well worth while

Jason

[Double Kick Drum]

M32 has a high surface brightness and shouldn't be too difficult to spot.

M110 is much harder and a little further out.

Happy hunting!

[Spec-Chum]

Oddly, I find m110 easier to spot. All 3 are in view with my BST 25mm.

[TractionMan]

M32 has a high surface brightness and shouldn't be too difficult to spot.

M110 is much harder and a little further out.

Kind of strange that I've been able to see M110 from my backyard but still havn't been able to see M32, although it's brighter and closer to M31. Probably just me being a noob. Although I've double and triple checked Stellarium several times. Anyway M31 is an object I always spend some time on and it's always an amazing sight IMHO.

[John]

I expect you have seen M32 but may not have recognized it as a galaxy - it looks much more like a fuzzy star than the dim but extended vaguely oval patch that is M110.

[jason.p]

I expect you have seen M32 but may not have recognized it as a galaxy - it looks much more like a fuzzy star than the dim but extended vaguely oval patch that is M110.

Think you must be right. I've just spent nearly an hour searching around M31, surely I couldn't have missed them

[rory]

might just be me, but i found them to be alot further away from m31 than i thought. i rough sketched m31 tonite and at x48 i couldnt quite get all three in the e/p at the same time,almost but not quite. thats a f.o.v of 1.25* ? i think what threw me at the time was only seeing astro photos of m31 meant the satelite galaxies were within the range of the m31 misty patch.where as visually for average joe bloggs theres a sizable gap between them. that was my recolection anyway. i definatly find m32 easier than m110.

[Lorne]

Rory,

If you get to a really dark site with good seeing, you will see more of the misty patch extending out. I added the good seeing part as from my local dark site the view of M31 changes each time I see it.

L.

[Planetesimal]

I found m32 / m110 last night for the first time at 48x through the 25mm EP. I've got the same problem of not being certain which one it was, although from this discussion it sounds like most probably m32 - it was to the right of m31 in the inverted fov, and I only realised it wasn't another star when I spotted it was a bit fuzzy with peripheral vision!

I also found m57 for the first time last night - I was jumping around the garden like a loon! Hooked now for sure...

[rory]

here is my quick sketch last night. m32 at the top left ,but that with a newtonian so its upside down and back to front. m110 was just out of view below the f.o.v. this is what i view from a moderate l/p site from my garden.

[Mike73]

...and this is how the M31, M32 and M110 looks like to me at a dark site with a 12" scope.

Thats M110 at the very bottom, very faint but alot larger than M32 which like John mentions above almost appears as a fuzzy star.

[rory]

...and this is how the M31, M32 and M110 looks like to me at a dark site with a 12" scope.

Thats M110 at the very bottom, very faint but alot larger than M32 which like John mentions above almost appears as a fuzzy star.

mike thats cruel, you cant put artistic work like that next to my scribble ! . although got to say thats a great sketch mate

[TractionMan]

Ah that makes sense. I figured that if I'm able to see M110, then I should be able to see M32 as well. Now I know what to look for (when/if the clouds and rain goes away). Thanks!

I expect you have seen M32 but may not have recognized it as a galaxy - it looks much more like a fuzzy star than the dim but extended vaguely oval patch that is M110.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I expect you have seen M32 but may not have recognized it as a galaxy - it looks much more like a fuzzy star than the dim but extended vaguely oval patch that is M110.

When i observe M31, i only have eyes for that. I cant say that i have knowingly seen M32 or M110 while observing M31. I observe M31 with perhaps a 25-30mm EP. Cant say i have seen the others in the FOV, simply because i wasnt actively searching. I must pay more attention and give them a go.

Here's a nice wiki image of all 3:

*disclaimer*

They are not gonna look like that at the EP.

[JamesF]

I absolutely agree that unless you have a lot of aperture or a very dark sky the smaller galaxies are an awful lot further away from what you'll see as M31 than you think. What you'll see of M31 is just the core and so whilst you think that M32 is "just on the edge" it's actually four or five times the diameter of what you can see away from the centre of M31. M110 could be perhaps twice that. It took me ages to find them with my ST120 until I realised this.

Given the advantages of plenty of aperture or a very dark sky then you can make out more of M31 and the position of the other two galaxies becomes more obvious.

James

[Planetesimal]

Just got in from a nice observing session - managed to get m31, m32 and m110 all in the same fov for the first time ( just about) at 48x mag. I also caught a meteor straight across the face of m31 while looking through the wide angle EP, which was a whoop moment!

Just as described, m110 is bigger than m32, but fainter and more spread out.

[pajr777]

I also found all three tonight, with the help of the "what it will look like in the eyepiece" sketch in Turn Left At Orion.