What am I doing wrong ?

[jeremy1]

Hi Guys. It's been a while since I've written (had a bad year). I have a problem in finding M31. I've tried using Cassiopia and the square of Pegasus to locate it but just cant seem to find it. I know I will be looking for a greyish smudge but even with my binoculars or my 200p it just seems to elude me. I thought I had it about a year ago but it was just a brief glance through my bino's after saying cherio to some friends after a night of eating and drinking, well mainly drinking and I really could not hold my bino's still enough to be sure. What am I doing wrong ?   

[Schorhr]

Hi,

I know it can be hard to find, especially depending on light pollution and with higher magnification.

With 12x it may be a bit tedious already.

Take a look at a map, at Stellarium and note the brighter stars, where it is in relation to the "W" of Cassiopeia.

Don't foget to take a look in the other way to see h%chi, probably amazung with 12x60!

http://www.ottawa-rasc.ca/kid_space/activities/young_observers/1999_october/galaxy.html

For me, it was further down as I had expected. Good luck!

[Joves]

Isn't usually difficult to find, but can be overlooked surprisingly easily with binoculars in bright moonglow.

[Mr Flibble]

As said by Schorhr, Stellarium is great to get your bearings.

Usually with the naked eye I just use the top left star of the square of pegasus, follow a couple of stars to the left and then follow a couple of stars up and there it is. Not a very high tech description or method I know but once you get it it'll be easier the next time. Darker skies also helps of course.

[Fish]

Find Mirach looking through binoculars then continue to look up , at this time of year just as my neck starts to complain it pops into view on the left.

[jeremy1]

Thanks Guys. I will keep trying. As said maybe a darker site might be more beneficial. Oh well I will await the next clear skys and try again.

[Casus belli]

You aren't the first, nor will you be the last to have difficulty finding M31.  I found it using the "W" (and then lost it again. I actually remember muttering to myself "how do you lose an entire galaxy for Gods sake?")

A star chart or stellarium will help.  Try bino's rather than using the scope to find it.  Keep trying, you will be rewarded for your perseverance eventually.

[jeremy1]

Just had a thought. My Mrs got one of those sky map app's on her fone I will give that a go as well next time.

[Schorhr]

Keep in mind that those will ruin your night vision.

Even in red/night mode, tft displays emmit some faint white light.

Ruining your night vision: seconds.

Adapting again: 20-40 minutes :-)

A dark red transparency (for example studio lighting or anaglyph glasses sheets) can reduce the effect, but a adjustable red flashlight and paper still offers a better control over the amount of light you'll have to cope with.

Red light won't destroy your night vision (as much).

Of course andromeda is one of the brighter objects, but still, every bit helps.

[bendiddley]

Get yourself a star map that will help or another way which was what i used to do when i first got my scope is doing a screen grab of the target with neighbouring bright stars in stellarium, invert the image so its black on white and print it out, you then just use it to star hop with a red light torch when you're at the finderscope, got a bit tedious after a while which is why I got a star atlas instead. Good luck though!

[brantuk]

Quick way to find M31 is to take a diagonal line from the great square of Pegasus passing from Markab through Alphertaz and extend a little. Then from the "pointy arrow" bit of Cassiopeia take a line in the direction pointed at. Where the two lines cross you'll find Andromeda just up and right a smidgeon.

[hoops86]

This is how i find it. Using the star thats not in the 'W' as a guide line. Follow the red line till you find the smudge

finding M31.bmp

[Alien 13]

I found it 1st go but it was not quite dark enough so i pointed the camera at other areas of the sky and took a few snaps. Looking around i thought its maybe as dark as its gonna get with the moon half an hour away so went back and whatever i did i couldnt find it again, took  20mins and then i realised my focus was off i forgot the locking screw lol...............

[Astro Imp]

Can be tricky to start with and a lot depends on the sky condition.

Last night I was out with 8x42 bins and had a real struggle to see it, only really visible with averted vision, this before the moon was up. I looked a few weeks ago when the sky was really transparent, again with no moon and the centre glowed so brightly it was a wonderful sight.

I'm sure with all the good advice already given and a good sky you will find it.

[Pig]

I see from the above posts you have had the expert and sensible advice and now here is the not so expert and sensible :-

I find the best way is to select it from the GoTo menu     works every time for me !!!

My record is 35 Messiers, 3 cups of coffee and 20 Jaffas in 60 minutes

My Next purchase will be the Celestron Starsense camera so I can be ultra lazy, thus letting it do the alignment process for me.  Its a pity it isn't voice activated then I wouldn't have to labour myself by pressing them heavy buttons

[m37]

Wow. That's a jaffa every 3 minutes. Nice work dude.

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

[David55]

I'm not so good at remembering the names of all the constellations and stars, but I can always find M31 by looking for a straightish line of 4 magnitude 2 stars in the east. From the left these are Mirgak, Almach, Mirach and Alpheratz. From the third star, Mirach go up at 90 degrees to the line and you'll first come to a magnitude 4 star, continue in the same direction on the same line and you'll find a second star of magnitude 5 a little to the left (or right depending on whether you have binoculars or a scope) carry on a very short way further and you'll see Andromeda. If you can't see either it has unexpectedly winked out of existence, or the seeing is pretty poor...probably the latter!

It always works for me, although I expect every scheme works once you're used to it. I can just about see M31 with the naked eye on a good night and easily with my 6.5x21mm bins. But even with my 8" dob, it is no more than an elongated smudge, so do t get your expectations too high.

[Paulhenry85]

I find it first time every time using this.

Hope this helps.

[slim mole]

I see from the above posts you have had the expert and sensible advice and now here is the not so expert and sensible :-

I find the best way is to select it from the GoTo menu     works every time for me !!!

My record is 35 Messiers, 3 cups of coffee and 20 Jaffas in 60 minutes

My Next purchase will be the Celestron Starsense camera so I can be ultra lazy, thus letting it do the alignment process for me.  Its a pity it isn't voice activated then I wouldn't have to labour myself by pressing them heavy buttons

Why not go the whole hog and just spark up Stellarium or Starry Night. This way you can see marvelous images without all that messing about in the cold and dark, keep snug and warm in bed. 

As a total beginner myself, I got a copy of  'Turn left at Orion', it took me a couple of attempts but now I can find most things with the aide of the book. I must look slightly odd wandering around the garden after dark with a big book in one hand an a little red torch in the other, only a matter of time before somebody calls the local constabulary !

[jeremy1]

I will await another clear night and have another bash. Dunno when the next clear night will be though.

[Astro Imp]

I will await another clear night and have another bash. Dunno when the next clear night will be though.

By the way things are going at the moment probably some time next year, and it will almost certainly be a full moon 

[Pig]

Why not go the whole hog and just spark up Stellarium or Starry Night. This way you can see marvelous images without all that messing about in the cold and dark, keep snug and warm in bed. 

As a total beginner myself, I got a copy of  'Turn left at Orion', it took me a couple of attempts but now I can find most things with the aide of the book. I must look slightly odd wandering around the garden after dark with a big book in one hand an a little red torch in the other, only a matter of time before somebody calls the local constabulary !

That's a bit far even for me   An image on a screen is somewhat different than looking through the glass. I am sure you would agree.

I understand the reward of finding objects yourself, I would do it that way if there was no choice

I also drive to work because its more convenient than walking

[The_PSY3NTIST]

M31 always seems to elude me too, I have my 200p up forsale now as I have just bought a 150pds so not sure Ill get a good view in the new one

[Stu]

http://www.eagleseye.me.uk/Resources/StarHopping.pdf

Star hopping guide to it here, along the same lines as others have pointed out. This works for me very easily.

Stu

[todd8137]

I find it first time every time using this.

image.jpg

Hope this helps.

That must be the greatest way to find it with my 25x80s easily seen just panning that area you should see it even with 15x60 my daughter can flip straight to it

I had a 300p it took nearly 2 weeks on my own but once found never lost.

Good luck

Pat