Something to look for tonight... UK

[SplintUK]

You need low mag, keep to the 25 or lower if you have one. Even try in a pair of 10x50 binoculars if you have them.

To find andromeda I do this by naked eye.

Find caseopia, the right most two stars point down to andromeda's left foot (Almach) at about 4x the distance between the stars (constellation not galaxy) move right and you'll see her left hip. Look up a bit and you'll see the fainter right hip. Pretend there would be a 3 rd hip star up and the same distance again. Move right a smidge. Point scope there at lowest mag you have and look for a white smudgey patch.

[NIGHTBOY]

I found it!!!! At first I found it in the finderscope, I came down pegasus (from the diamond) 2 stars then went up and star, then up to the next off centre star and just above that there is was!! yep a small white smudgy patch is how I'd describe it tonight, almost looked like a faint cloud. Cant wait for a proper clear nught!!

[SplintUK]

I found it!!!! At first I found it in the finderscope, I came down pegasus (from the diamond) 2 stars then went up and star, then up to the next off centre star and just above that there is was!! yep a small white smudgy patch is how I'd describe it tonight, almost looked like a faint cloud. Cant wait for a proper clear nught!!

Now move across to the double cluster. For me :-)

[andyman]

Try m13 in hercules its superb if the clouds play ball good luck

[NIGHTBOY]

Double cluster found AWSOME!!! Could just about get them both in the 25mm eye piece! Im starting to find my way star hopping now and find locating certain stars in the straight through finder a damn sight easier if you keep both eyes open.

[NIGHTBOY]

Found M13 too but it looked very similar to Andromeda, just a dull white splodge. Cool as tho

[andyman]

Found M13 too but it looked very similar to Andromeda, just a dull white splodge. Cool as tho With the moon acting as a second sun tonight its washing everything out 

Typical crystal clear skies with the moon spoiling it but best to view m13 is on a moonless night with high magnification you will be well impressed

[NIGHTBOY]

Found M13 too but it looked very similar to Andromeda, just a dull white splodge. Cool as tho With the moon acting as a second sun tonight its washing everything out 

Typical crystal clear skies with the moon spoiling it but best to view m13 is on a moonless night with high magnification you will be well impressed

Cant wait!! I didn't realise until tonight that some deep space stuff can actually be detected through the finderscope, that's how I first came across Andromeda.

[andyman]

Even more so when when moons done one

[NIGHTBOY]

its coming up later day by day now eh, when will be perfect? This time next month??

[SplintUK]

its coming up later day by day now eh, when will be perfect? This time next month??

if you're on iOS download the app 'moon' which lets you see the moon phase, moonrise and moonset, and illumination on any particular day.

New moon Is perfect, but a waning crescent that rises in the early hours is good for an evening's star gazing too.

For example, 30th September looks good, waning crescent with only 21% illumination, and the moon doesn't rise until 3am anyway :-)

[knobby]

Found M13 too but it looked very similar to Andromeda, just a dull white splodge. Cool as tho

if its a smudge... Try really carefully focusing, it should resolve into thousands of stars, try averted vision maybe (look away slightly and see with corner of eye)

It really is beautiful

[NIGHTBOY]

Will be out again tonight a little earlier, should be clear from 7 till midnight, will try to beat the moon

[hippie]

Cloud clouds and more clouds forecast for us down on the south coast this week Grrrrr! 

[brantuk]

The moon washes out a lot of the deeper sky objects depending on it's phase, but M31 appears as a faint, oblate, smudge around 8pm onwards. Last night I had a look at Albireo, a very pretty double star which you'll see in gold and blue, and just below and to the left of that is the Coathanger asterism - a nice object in binoculars.

If you're still up around 4am-5am Jupiter is high in the southern sky and very bright and clear. And Orion is bang next to it with M42 clear as a bell and Betlegeuse in a good red hue. The Hercules double cluster is also available in the East around 10pm onwards. Of course - you need a cloud free night at least to catch any chance of seeing all the above. Hth

[Reeny]

I had a good session last night considering the moonlight was bright.

Andromeda is never great with all the light pollution and a small diameter scope.

I did manage to resolve the double star Mizar in the plough

An accidental find when I was scanning around and exploring.

Stars, clusters, and the moon are bright enough in the 3" reflector

It gets hazy beyond 120x magnification.

I like to find a new object every viewing night.

So next time I'll head for the double cluster.

Cheers