Andromeda

[skysculptor]

Hi again,

can anyone advise on the best time to look for Andromeda, looking in the right place but cannot see it, probably to much light pollution but people do tell me they can see it from cities on a good night?

[webboid]

Yes I can see it from my urban back garden. I think it is getting a bit low now for best viewing. Depending on what sort of scope you have & light pollution. For me I can see a faint patch in my finderscope, a better fuzzy patch in my refractor & a brighter fuzzy patch with one or two satellite galaxies M32 & M110 when it was higher in the sky. Much less so now though.

[skysculptor]

thanks I think thats my problem, if its to near the the light pollution for me to see it with my little 80mm refractor, i'll keep trying.

[greglloyd]

It's not too low yet. For example it's still around 55 degrees up at 7:30pm in the evenings. That's more than enough to see it with the naked eye as long as your sky is ok.

Try the following at 7:30pm the next clear evening :-

1. Locate the square of Pegasus. This will be fairly high (look up 50 degrees or about half to two thirds up from the horizon) and slightly west of south

2. Locate the top left star of the square of Pegasus

3. Locate the first star to the left of that corner star of the square (the star you locate will be in Andromeda).

4. Note that there are 2 stars above that star you've just located in Andromeda (almost in a vertical line but leaning slightly to the left).

5. Come up to the top of those 2 star and the Andromed Galaxy is sitting just to the upper right of that second star. It should be easy to see in binos, finder, scope. But should also be easy to find and see with the naked eye providing your skies are not dire.

Good luck hunting :-)

[greglloyd]

p.s. When I refer to stars above when star hopping, I'm talking about locating naked eye stars. You should be able to star hop to the galaxy with your naked eye - not through the finder.

[skysculptor]

Ok, i will indeed try following your instructions at 7.30 when the sky is clear again, with luck i may find it !

Thanks very much for the clear instructions, much appreciated.

[Khw]

Hi mate , I found andromeda for the first time a couple of weeks ago . I tried and tried using the scope but couldn't locate it so I got out my binoculars and there it was . Reading many posts on this forum before I got my scope so many members advise using binos first to learn the night sky and how right they are ! Try it , kev

[skysculptor]

Have been trying with my little 10x30 binos, but will keep trying, sure i'll get it, and like has been said once you spot objects , there easier to find the next time.

[greglloyd]

Have you got the free Stellarium software on your PC / MAC? If not, Google for it and download. It's perfect for helping you locate objects

[skysculptor]

yes have got Stellarium the other day just been trying to suss it out, but think i basically understand it now.