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Is M51 visible from suburban Birmingham with a 6 inch newt?

crazyjedi

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crazyjedi

crazyjedi

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Hi all, - I have had reasonable success hunting DSO's from suburbia with my trusty newt but M51 seems to be a toughy.

I found M81 and M82 recently but have been disappointed with mt efforts to find M51. Is it just too faint? :huh:

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badgerchap

badgerchap

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M51 is fairly small and faint - I see it from a fairly decent dark site and its certainly not the brightest. However with perseverance, you might just get it. Hard to know not having seen just how bad your LP is!

Posted via Tapatalk on an ageing iPhone so please excuse any erroneous spellings or accidental profanities!

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Phil Fargaze

Phil Fargaze

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Sounds like my situation is similar to yours. I have never been able to see M51 from my home but M81 and M82 to tend to be an easier target because being edge on, their light is not so spread out. Do try to get a view of M51 if you happen to be in good skies though. It is a fantastic galaxy to observe, I managed to glimpse it earlier this month at Kelling Heath.

Also I find that M1 the Crab nebula is usually invisible for me too, plus the veil nebula.

If you have a good south horizon you could try M104 the Sombrero galaxy, that might just about be visible.

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rory

rory

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you'll probably be able to pick out the two cores in M51, but I doubt you will see any spiral structure.

agreed. i picked up the two cores with 8" of aperture and even with my old 4" refractor under reasonably polluted sky. but i wouldnt expect to see any more than the core.

mind you i dont know what it is about this year, but everything seems fainter all the time. cant remember the last really transparent night , always murky.

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Marki

Marki

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I can make out the cores from my backgarden (even on my 4" refractors if the night is clear enough), but not seen more than a smudge of spread light even in my 8" SCT - no real hint of spirals or anything. Hoping to get a better view in a week or two when I get out into the countryside :).

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crazyjedi

crazyjedi

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??

I think that might be with reference to the current moon phase. And in answer to that I haven't bothered over the last few nights as there is too much moon!

To be honest if I get to see two cores I'll be happy from where I'm situated. I just want to tick the "seen it" box and sketch the reference stars (so I can find it again at a darker site). It's difficult to asses exactly how rubbish my sky is here but it's not the best.

What's the best mag to pick it out?

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Pyrodave

Pyrodave

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Very difficult from urban skies. To have any chance , about this time of year is best.

I have to travel about 20mins from Leicester to see it. Similarly for M1.

Simon

I've been trying to find M51 from my garden myself but failed every time .

Was out with Simon and a few others from CMS on Saturday and managed to find it, although as the moon was bright the view was not that good

Thanks again Simon for a cracking night observing :laugh:

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PorkyB

PorkyB

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I had a look from Birmingham city centre the other night. I couldn't see a thing but when I took a photo it was there, so I was looking in the right place. (Photo was no good though, just the cores visible.)

You don't need to get far out ouf town to be able to see it though. I've had good views of it just 10 miles out of town.

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valefor

valefor

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i have seen it in urban skys. but it is quite hard to find. its easier to see than the triangulem galaxy. but i do always struggle to find it. i would say its about the same brightness as m1.

not an easy target.

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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I live quite near Manchester and can detect it (and the NGC companion) readily in my 6" newt. it is just that though, detecting it. in my 16" the spiral structure is just visible on the best nights at the Zenith. from a dark site it is easily seen with structure and detail in a 12" scope. you may even detect it in a 9x50mm finder.

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