M51

[Vince1963]

Well after my last post on the M81 & M82, I as usual am up nice and early again, So as the ritual goes a made a pot of tea and put my hat and gloves on and went outside.. Mmm! another nice clear sky, perfect!. I am now able to point my bin's straight at them M81 & M82 ( that's a real satisfying thought) Its great when you can do that isn't it?. Well anyway as i mentioned in my last post Alan said he could see M51 the whirlpool in his bins, Well that was what i decided i was going to do this morning if nothing else... After some time and after my eye's got adjusted there she was the little beauty, Not a great deal to see through my bins i had to use averted vision to make it out, But i had seen it and i was very happy... I made a quick sketch just to make sure and after checking it out on Stellarium it was confirmed. Now i can go there any time i like lol. And into the bargain i actually saw a couple of meteors, one passing through the constellations of Boots and the other passing through Auriga.

[fredster]

Congrats on nailing it with the bins. You must have semi decent skies? I've tried many times to spot M51 with the 15x70's but my skies are just too poor.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice report. Which bins were you using? M51 is more difficult than M81, but still quite easily within reach of bins. M101 is doable (both in my 10x50 and 15x70 bins), but requires really clear and dark skies.

[Vince1963]

Congrats on nailing it with the bins. You must have semi decent skies? I've tried many times to spot M51 with the 15x70's but my skies are just too poor.

Thanks Fred.. Yes i'm in a pretty good spot about a mile out of the village, its not perfect though there is a bit of light pollution to the north which is about 20 degrees up on the horizon, great in late summer as well i get to see the Sagittarius to the south and if the atmosphere and the weather conditions are right i get to see all the lovely jewels that she as to offer, Its so full of life (if you know what i mean) just following the milkyway up is soo spectacular lot to see

[Vince1963]

Nice report. Which bins were you using? M51 is more difficult than M81, but still quite easily within reach of bins. M101 is doable (both in my 10x50 and 15x70 bins), but requires really clear and dark skies.

Hi Michael.. I was using my Visionary 15x70s.. There very good for budget bins.. thanks for your comment

[greglloyd]

Hi. Yes M51 is a fairly easy target in my 10x50s from my location (30 miles west of Belfast). M101 can be seen on most nights when it is high enough in the sky. Dim but clearly there. To me, M101 appears similar to M33 in the binos but a fainter version. M81 / 82 are bright targets and easy to spot even when conditions are not good.

I find that to easily spot M51 you simply need to go to the last star in the 'handle' of the pan of Ursa Major, come down and slightly to the right until you spot a little triangle of stars. M51 will be lying on one side of that triangle.

[BinocularSky]

I find that to easily spot M51 you simply need to go to the last star in the 'handle' of the pan of Ursa Major...

I visualise the last two stars in the pan handle as the upright of an upper-case "L". M51 is as near as dammit the RH end of the "foot" of the "L".

For M101, assume that those two stars are the base of an equilateral triangle. M101 is just inside the opposite apex.