Help with Andromeda

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Hi, My name is Ben Rolfe, I recently brought a Celestron 130SLT Reflector Telescope, Last night was a really clear night, no clouds at all, I had aligned the telescope using Celestrons SkyAlign feature and that was sucessful I could ask the telescope to find jupiter and it would have no problem, but when i selected Andromeda I couldn't see anything, I tried the 25mm lens and the 9mm lens and neither of them could see anything, there was also no light polution.

 

 

can anyone help me find andromeda or have any tips?

 

many thanks,

 

Ben Rolfe

[NGC 1502]

Hi Ben.  One possibility is that the scope was pointing the Andromeda galaxy ( M31 ) but the telescope wasn't focused.

If the scope found Jupiter, it should have found M31 without probs.

If Jupiter is out of focus, you would see a bright out of focus blob, but if a much fainter object is out of focus, you may well see nothing.

One way to avoid that is to fit your lowest power eyepiece, focus on something like Jupiter, then send the scope to M31.

Another possibility is that after viewing a very bright object like Jupiter, your eye is not dark adapted, so faint objects could be invisible, until your eye adapts, or maybe use the other eye.

There are other possibilities however.  Make sure you set the scope up well, and have a good reliable power source, or at least fresh batteries. Many go-to probs are power related.

Hope you sort it, Ed.

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Many thanks Ed, I run the scope from a 12V power adapter, but you mentioned use the smallest lens, which is the 9mm lens for me, but i still couldn't see Andromeda, I even adjusted the focusing knob and all I could see is stars and black, I have heard that Andromeda looks like a smudged cloud that glows slightly, but i couldn't see anything. Like you said change eyes, I did that as well but i could see brighter stars but no Andromeda, I guess I will have to go back out and re-align my scope again,

thanks for the help and tips anyway,

regards

Ben Rolfe

[Kirscovitch]

I have the same scope and had a hard time my first times out seeing M31. Like Ed said, focus is very important on such a fuzzy target as is having your eyes adapted to the dark. When I start my viewing sessions I always start with DSO objects such as M31 and M42. Only after I get done with my deep sky viewing do I move on to the brighter targets like Jupiter and the moon. If you start with the brighter objects first you will need to give your eyes about 15 min or so to adjust back to night vision. Also you might want to try using adverted vision when trying to find the fuzzies. It makes an amazing difference.

Just be patient and keep at it and after awhile finding it will be second nature.

[floppygoose]

I tend to agree with Ed, chances are the scope was aligned with M31, but the issue was down to focusing with the correct lens to suit the conditions. Can you see Andromeda through the finderscope? A 9mm lens may be too powerful, why not start with, say a 25mm, and then re-focus with that. 

Phil

[NGC 1502]

Many thanks Ed, I run the scope from a 12V power adapter, but you mentioned use the smallest lens, which is the 9mm lens for me, but i still couldn't see Andromeda, I even adjusted the focusing knob and all I could see is stars and black, I have heard that Andromeda looks like a smudged cloud that glows slightly, but i couldn't see anything. Like you said change eyes, I did that as well but i could see brighter stars but no Andromeda, I guess I will have to go back out and re-align my scope again,

thanks for the help and tips anyway,

regards

Ben Rolfe

Hi again Ben. Your lowest power eyepiece, and the one that shows the largest area of sky, is the one with the highest number like your 25mm.

It's always best if you start with your 25mm eyepiece to find a new object, then change to a higher power, like your 9mm if necessary.

For M31, I'd stay with the 25mm EP.

Regards, Ed.

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Many thanks Matt, Sorry to be a pain but may I ask what Adverted vision means, Also, when capturing the night sky with my DSLR i think it was andromeda that i caught in the photo (look below) I set the shutter to be open for 30 seconds, i think its andromeda anyway, sorry for the poor quality.

http://bit.ly/unboxingreviewsandromeda

many thanks

Ben Rolfe

[bomberbaz]

Another possability is you were looking at andromeda without realising it.

Although its reasonabky easy to see once iu know what your looking for, its not that obviius ktherwise. It is little more than a smudge in a 130 scope and nothing like the hubble type views shown in many pictures. You will get better under a good dark sky but realy good detail is more realistic uin larger scopes

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Many thanks Ed, ill keep that in mind, thanks for the good advice.

[Maystar]

I saw M31 by accident whilst scanning the sky with an old Skylux 70. It looked like a dirty cloud, I was so excited, but didn't know what it was a few years back (when there was no light pollution here). Can't wait to find it again with new scope (same as yours Ben). The advice on this has been great. We do tend to race out, look at jupiter, M42, M45 and then your eyes can't find a sausage.  When I get out of this light pollution, it's my first task, I want that rush again! 

Cheers Ben for a great feeder post 

[UnboxingReviews1997]

On my behalf I do think i rushed into finding M31, i guess ill have to wait 15-20 mins after the garden lights go off, and then look at M31 before Jupiter, Venus etc. 

Thanks everyone for helping me. Take a look at this picture I took using my DSLR at a 30 second shutter speed, I think the blurry thing is M31, http://bit.ly/unboxingreviewsandromeda

Regards

Ben Rolfe

[Stu]

Many thanks Matt, Sorry to be a pain but may I ask what Adverted vision means, Also, when capturing the night sky with my DSLR i think it was andromeda that i caught in the photo (look below) I set the shutter to be open for 30 seconds, i think its andromeda anyway, sorry for the poor quality.

http://bit.ly/unboxingreviewsandromeda

many thanks

Ben Rolfe

Hard to be certain but it does look very much like Andromeda so you probably were looking at it.

Averted vision means not looking directly at the object, but looking to either side or above/below it. Faint objects often disappear if you look directly at them, but if you use averted vision they show up. This is because you are using the more light sensitive rods which are concentrated away from the centre of the eye. Unlike the cones in the centre, they are not sensitive to colour which is why you will only normally see shades of grey when observing deep sky objects. It is a very useful technique to learn, takes a little practise but worthwhile.

Cheers,

Stu

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Hard to be certain but it does look very much like Andromeda so you probably were looking at it.

Averted vision means not looking directly at the object, but looking to either side or above/below it. Faint objects often disappear if you look directly at them, but if you use averted vision they show up. This is because you are using the more light sensitive rods which are concentrated away from the centre of the eye. Unlike the cones in the centre, they are not sensitive to colour which is why you will only normally see shades of grey when observing deep sky objects. It is a very useful technique to learn, takes a little practise but worthwhile.

Cheers,

Stu

Many thanks for explaining, Ill give it a try,

regards

Ben Rolfe

[ronin]

Ask this the other way: What did you actually expect to see?

Half suspect that what you did see and what you expected were so different that you assumed something was wrong.

[UnboxingReviews1997]

Ask this the other way: What did you actually expect to see?

Half suspect that what you did see and what you expected were so different that you assumed something was wrong.

i expected to see  something like this (look in the link below), i took that with a DSLR with shutter speed at 30 seconds, could you show me what i would see?

http://bit.ly/unboxingreviewsandromeda

regards

Ben Rolfe

[bomberbaz]

the picture in your photo is roughly what you will see most of the time

[Kirscovitch]

Here's a good thread about what you can expect to see in a scope.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/196278-what-can-i-expect-to-see/

[dezmo1]

Hi Ben. If it helps any (I doubt it but hey ho) the first time I saw Andromeda through my binos I thought I had a bit of dust on the lens. It wasn't until I saw a pic in a magazine for binos that I realised it was Andromeda...Now I've read this, I'm looking forward to trying to find it again, but this time with my scope!

Great little post going on here.

[SW130p]

I always look for it through my binos first, it's easier to find and then point the finder into that spot even if you can't see it with the naked eye.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LouisJB]

Dark sky really helps for something with a gradual gradient like M31 (well it helps with all DSOs but given M31 is SO big but it's extent is so dim...). On the few times I've seen it, many have been so-so, yet on one night from the same location it was a really big wow, with m110 and m32 clearly all visible in the same 25mm eyepiece. Two factors, sky must have been exceptional and also my eyes must have been really dark adapted, probably 1h+, and the tube had been outside for more than an hour so had cooled down perfectly. All these factors make a difference.

Also finding with binos first is always a good idea, I do this for anything that can be seen in them.

Also a good magnifying finder like a 9x50 will should you a nice clear view of it for location purposes. I find the view from a finder like that invaluable at finding and centring on objects.

[CJ77]

Hi Ben,

I also have the Celestron GoTo system, and while it picks some things up perfectly, such as the double in Perseus, or Jupiter, I often find that it slews past M31 (I'm not certain why that is - perhaps I've not the the lat/long correct?), and I need some fine adjustment of a fraction of a degree to get a good view.

It may be, then, that you would be best having a bit of a manual search around if its not immediately obvious - its pretty unmistakeable when you do see it.

Also, I would definitely use the 25mm eyepiece - i've tried the 9mm, and it looks fainter through that, and the field of view is too narrow to see anything but the bright core.

Hope this helps,

CJ

[brantuk]

I don't know if anyone's mentioned it but the Andromeda galaxy is the only naked eye galaxy we can see from Earth. I can pick it out easily from my street light polluted driveway, so long as the seeing is good and the moon is switched off lol.

But you do need to know where it is. The best way to find it is using binocs - just standard 10x50's will be fine - and you'll know once you've found it, it's an unmistakable patch with a definite oval shape - I remember being very excited when I first saw it in binocs. Just the thought that you're looking at another galaxy out there in the universe, and the photons hitting your retina have travelled for 2,500 years across space, is mind blowing.

Just follow the arrow from the pointy end of Cassiopeia until it crosses an imaginary line extended from Markab past Alphertaz and on a little further. M31 is very close to where they cross - just skim round in a small tight circle with bins and you can't miss it.

[cyteen02]

Just adding my thanks for all the Andromeda hunting advice.  I've had no luck in the past from heavily light polluted Manchester, but sounds worth another try

[bomberbaz]

taking my bins down to Fuerteventura tomorrow, cant wait to hunt for some alternative DSO's from a really dark sky area