Did I observe the Andromeda galaxy?

[guiseppe]

So, late last night I booted up Stellarium and noticed that the Andromeda galaxy was in perfect field of view from my location (my balcony). So I went out again to see if I could find it, and I think I did. However, I'm not quite sure. I was using the star Mirach and Cassiopeia as guides, I focused on Mirach and from there II hopped out towards Cassiopeia along three faint stars in a somewhat straight line. There, I saw a big white fuzzy blob and thought to myself that, that has to be it! I've finally observed my first galaxy! I took this picture, and captured what I saw.

It's the fuzzy point of light at the bottom. 

150/750mm scope with a 28mm eyepiece (although the shot was taken with my camera mounted). I had clear skies, but it was just at the cusp of dawn, so I had to race against the light and I eventually lost it.

So... Did I observe the Andromeda galaxy? 

[WaveSoarer]

I think that you found it as it fits yur description. The core is surprisingly bright.

[Steve Ward]

Congratulations on finding it , can be a bit of a pain to find to start with as you can only see the bright core initially as opposed to the long exposure photo view that we come to expect .

You'll soon be going straight to it with no trouble ... 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Congrats on finding our big neighbour galaxy!

[AlexB67]

Congrats. Looks like you found it  Strangely, whenever I look at it I get that strange feeling, the first thing that crosses my mind are that we  on collision course with it, luckily I'll be long gone when that happens and I've given up on the idea that  the day I can pop in a lower mag eyepiece to see it even better will never happen, how reassuring 

[wookie1965]

Yes you found it i go a different way i use the top left star of the square of Pegasus go left 2 stars up one star and then up the same distance again and its there.

[Star Wanderer]

That looks like Andromeda. First thing i look for every evening.

Since we have same scopes, try locating M33 triangulum galaxy, below Andromeda. I had a few tries at it, and i think i found it's location once, but couldn't see it, it was just a black spot. Maybe i was looking at the wrong place. So many stars in that area i get confused when ever i try to find it.

[floppygoose]

Well done, definitely looks like you found M31

All the best

Phil

[wookie1965]

That looks like Andromeda. First thing i look for every evening.

Since we have same scopes, try locating M33 triangulum galaxy, below Andromeda. I had a few tries at it, and i think i found it's location once, but couldn't see it, it was just a black spot. Maybe i was looking at the wrong place. So many stars in that area i get confused when ever i try to find it.

I have never seem M33 yet  you will need a dark location to spot it. With very good seeing conditions and a good dark site i have been told you can see t with the naked eye.

[guiseppe]

Thanks everyone for helping me confirm what I saw. I know it doesn't look like much neither in the pictur nor inte the ep (with my setup), but just knowing what you are actually looking at is such a tremendous feeling. When I found it I got all giddy and pretty much all I could think initially was "omgomgomgomgomg". I'll definitely try and find M33 as well, assuming that I can even find M31 again, but I fear my skies will be far too lightpolluted.

[swamp thing]

M33 is tough from skies with any sort of LP. Why not have a bash at M81 & M82, these are way, way easier?

Leave the tough, face on spirals for once you get too a nice dark sky. M33 can be very rewarding if viewed from dark skies, but from a LP one, all you'll see is a slight brightening of the sky background.

[Moonshane]

you'll also be able to see M32 and M110 I suspect which are either side of M31.

[Star Wanderer]

Thanks everyone for helping me confirm what I saw. I know it doesn't look like much neither in the pictur nor inte the ep (with my setup), but just knowing what you are actually looking at is such a tremendous feeling. When I found it I got all giddy and pretty much all I could think initially was "omgomgomgomgomg". I'll definitely try and find M33 as well, assuming that I can even find M31 again, but I fear my skies will be far too lightpolluted.

I was curiose, which camera, and other items did you used to take that picture?

[Bodkin]

I have never seem M33 yet  you will need a dark location to spot it. With very good seeing conditions and a good dark site i have been told you can see t with the naked eye.

I tried to bag M33 from a town location for years without success - the hunt almost took on a mythical status for me.  Now I can often see it with the naked eye, but it is still one of my favourite galaxies. 

[AlexB67]

M33 is tough from skies with any sort of LP. Why not have a bash at M81 & M82, these are way, way easier?

Leave the tough, face on spirals for once you get too a nice dark sky. M33 can be very rewarding if viewed from dark skies, but from a LP one, all you'll see is a slight brightening of the sky background.

It is more or less like that for me the way you describe it. In my 130 aperture scope I can spot  it ( I live in a fairly heavy light polluted area ) but only on a very good night, and only when it is high up in the sky. There is no detail at all, but it is quite a large pronounced smudge of very very subtle brightening in the sky.

From what I recall it is one of those galaxies that does not have a pronounced core, and quite even across.  One night when the skies were exceptional and I looked at  at it for a looong time from my back yard using averted vision best I could, hiding in the darkest spot near the ground  I have, and  I was beginning to see a little more variation there it seemed, but ever so subtle, or was it a bit of a placebo or not ? I don't know but when the skies are up to it, I can find it every time easily enough, not  hard one to locate with the RDF,  just not much to see from my garden on that object. 

[wookie1965]

I tried to bag M33 from a town location for years without success - the hunt almost took on a mythical status for me.  Now I can often see it with the naked eye, but it is still one of my favourite galaxies. 

Hopefully i will see it at PSP.