M65 & M66 are invisible

[DonRemus]

Last night took a look at Leo looking for galaxies M65 & M66. Had a lot of trouble even using Turn Left at Orion book so came in and opened Stellarium. Input my scope and ep's and jotted some stars down in an equivalent FOV to make a path to the targets. I got to the right area (pretty sure) but nothing visible :-(

Here is my finder chart. Light pollution issue? Night was clear but seeing not great.

Gary

[DonRemus]

By the way was using 25mm ep at 30x

[Guy Wells]

I couldn't even find the sun with my solar filter on LOL...imagine how difficult it will be to find galaxies!

Seriously though, someone will be along with some useful advice mate.

Ras

[JamesF]

There are times when the seeing just doesn't work out. I spent ages a couple of years ago trying to find M107. It is right next to a very distinctive pattern of stars which I could find easily, but M107 itself was nowhere to be seen. The weather being what it is I had to wait until last year to actually find it.

Give them a go on another night. If the seeing is better you may well find them much more easily.

James

[Tim]

Hmmm, pretty sure they were there, we found them with an EP and we dont DO visual

[swamp thing]

When you say seeing not great, do you mean transparency?

Seeing is the steadiness of the air. This is important for planetary observing, but bears very little on observing DSO,s like galaxies. Transparency on the other hand s vitally important when hunting DSO,s like galaxies, but of no interest to planetary observing.

We can observe planets when transparency is poor, often hazy nights provide the very best planetary views. These nights are pretty useless for us galaxy nuts.

We often find the nights that are crystal clear with excellent transparency have awful seeing, but are superb for galaxies. It's very rare to get nights that are not only transparent but have steady "good seeing" for planets.

LP is always an issue for the galaxy observer. Any LP can quickly make even the brightest ones shy and tough to spot.

If LP is a major factor from where you observe, try a road trip to a darker sky, this is where galaxies come alive

[NGC 1502]

What Steve says in post #6 is spot on. From my very light polluted garden in Southend, just a bit of haze or the moon makes M65/66 very tough with my 10" Dob. I used to think that the NGC galaxy in the same field of view was impossible from my garden, but one very transparent and moonless night proved me wrong, all three could be seen.

From my club's dark sight, all three (Leo triplet) are easy in a clubmates ETX 125. Maybe possible in a smaller scope, don't know.

Keep trying, you will get them !

Have a go at M94, it's a relatively bright galaxy, got it last night through my 70mm refractor from home.

Regards, Ed.

[twotter]

I was out tonight just after 8pm and M65 & M66 were too faint for me to find. About 9pm the sky had darkened enough so they stood out more clearly. Same with M1, which was nice to see again.

[DonRemus]

When you say seeing not great, do you mean transparency?

Seeing is the steadiness of the air. This is important for planetary observing, but bears very little on observing DSO,s like galaxies. Transparency on the other hand s vitally important when hunting DSO,s like galaxies, but of no interest to planetary observing.

We can observe planets when transparency is poor, often hazy nights provide the very best planetary views. These nights are pretty useless for us galaxy nuts.

We often find the nights that are crystal clear with excellent transparency have awful seeing, but are superb for galaxies. It's very rare to get nights that are not only transparent but have steady "good seeing" for planets.

LP is always an issue for the galaxy observer. Any LP can quickly make even the brightest ones shy and tough to spot.

If LP is a major factor from where you observe, try a road trip to a darker sky, this is where galaxies come alive

Cheers Steve. View was swimming around a bit but night was clear but have a street light pretty close to the East (left) when looking at Leo (South). Must be down to LP.

Thanks everyone for your input

Gary

[Stargazer_00]

transparancy wasnt great last night but 3 nights ago it was very very good. That was the night for galaxy hunters in my area I would say.

Seeing was awful last night too with that wind.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I found them a few weeks ago, and they were barely there, but definately there. Its just catching it on the right night. Its M101 that was invisi

ble last night, to me at least.

I couldn't even find the sun with my solar filter on LOL...imagine how difficult it will be to find galaxies!

Funnily enough, I couldnt either when i first got my filter!

[RMcCallum]

I found M65 and M66 difficult to see two nights, transparency was quite poor around me. M95 and M96 were also difficult to locate and I couldn't find M105.

[RMcCallum]

*Two nights ago.

[bingevader]

I'd have to agree that both seeing and transparency were pretty bad for me last night too!

Cheers