Andromeda Galaxy.. was it or was it not...

[Ohmsie]

Hi , after spending a couple of hours outside with some clear sky and stellarium I found Jupiter looking good through the new scope , had a browse round the moon then had a go for Andromeda , I understand a moonlight sky isn't the best conditions but several times I came across a blurred lump of silver/grey light in the rough location of Andromeda , was this indeed the galaxy or isn't it visible in a moonlight sky ?? Thankyou for any answers received

[ScottS]

Grey smudge is about right.

[floppygoose]

Sounds like you found it Ohmsie - it is easy to spot, and looks pretty much as you describe.

Phil

[WaveSoarer]

That could well be it. It should still be visible in the moon light.

[Langy]

I've found it once, the first time I tried to look for it. That took me a few minutes.

Now I have a descent finder scope and star maps printed I'm hoping that it will take me less time next time.

Someone created a post in here recently about star hopping the two links below may be of use, some very useful information.

Star Charts

http://www.uv.es/jrtorres/triatlas.html

Messier Finder Charts

http://www.solarius.net/Pages/Articles/dbArticle.aspx?artid=messier_finders

[Orange Haze]

I've only spied it a couple of times myself but grey smudge is a fair description. I would add tho, the smudge did seem to have some faintest detail and with a bit of averted vision, I thought I saw a brighter centre to it. A moon free sky will help next time you and I look for it.

[sologuitarist61]

Exciting isn't it? All that searching and you are rewarded with a blurred lump! Never mind that is one Messier object you can tick off the list and believe me there are plenty more blurred lumps out there!

[Ohmsie]

Thankyou for the replies, i actually feel a bit chuffed to of seen it, i tried on my old scope a few times but never ever saw it, but i got a funny feeling it was something to do with pointing the scope in completely the wrong direction ... lol  Guess i got Stellarium to thank for tonight`s success .. 

[Stu]

Yep, sounds like it. On a moonless night, and under a dark sky you can really begin to see the full extent of it. Under light polluted/moonlit skies you really only see the central core. Still, an enormous galaxy, 2 and abit million light years away, can't be bad :-)

Stu

[WaveSoarer]

Next time you have the chance, Ohmsie, have a look for the core which should look like a brighter, comact and very round area right in the middle of the smudge. With a dark sky and a bit of time you should see the companion galaxies M32 and M110 (though the latter is fairly faint).

[Langy]

Andromeda is similar to the image below at the moment (from Stellarium) However through my scope it is very much fainter.

[Qualia]

The problem with sketching in almost darkness is that sometimes I'm not entirely sure of the errors I'm committing until the following morning and so I appreciate that the core does appear exaggerated. Nevetheless, taking the sketch with a little pinch of salt, I feel it gives a reasonable idea of what your 8" will be able to offer your eye if you head out to a good dark site and spend a little while with M 31 et al.

Of course, viewing the galaxy from a city, for example, surrenders up a completely different image. Something more like this:

For me, whether we can enjoy the luxury of a dark site from time to time or have to put up with civilisation's pernicious effects, what makes the experience a fascinating joy, is not only being out in the calm of nature, able to see a distant galaxy from Earth with just a tiny bit of mirror and glass but also to put the experience into a context.

It isn't just a faint fuzzy to tick off from some list. It's a kind of cosmic history lesson, realising that if some civilisation has powerful enough scopes on some planet in Andromeda, they are witnessing our kind - the genus homo - just being established. For them, most of us still look like this:

Many our kind are still getting to grips with basic stone tools, some of us have relatively large brains and large teeth, whiilst others of us have small brains and small teeth. We're still upright monkeys

Some might say not a lot has changed

[Knight of Clear Skies]

For them, most of us still look like this:

Damn. If I knew they were looking I'd have made more of an effort - a thorough brush and perhaps a bow tie.

[Ohmsie]

Thankyou for the responses, They made some very good reading and ive enjoyed every minute of this hobby so far, still amazes me that i was lookin at an image created over 2 million years ago...  ~Thanks Guys... 

[Ags]

The best view I have had of M31 was with 16x50 bins under average dark skies (M31 just visible naked-eye from a dark corner of the garden). I could see the core clearly and also extended nebulosity around the core. I swear I could see traces of dust lanes.

[Richard136]

I've yet to find it, but my wife thinks I am already spending too much time alone outside in the dark.... 

[Ohmsie]

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[Ohmsie]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/117550446@N08/12507953774/

Taken tonight, i know there not much good, but taken on a static tripod with 300mm lens set to 3.5 sec exposure....

[Charic]

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Ohmsie.........Thats about what I see from my light polluted garden through my telescope. Get your Skyliner to a dark site and pop in your 25mm , see the difference!. So much difference, I had to purchase the 32mm 2" EP to get the image in all its glory? Its more than , believe me.

[Ohmsie]

im hoping to get better shots when there no moon to be honest, im still saving for a better tripod so can only get 3 sec exposures at the mo, its a learning curve and different that what i normally capture but im loving it 

[Charic]

Ohmsie...........sorry matey, no complaints about your photographs, I just noted your signature.  If your taking those pictures from your normal site, the telescope will be similar. My bet is, if you can visit a dark site, you'll be totally amazed (under good seeing conditions, no Moon ect )

[Ohmsie]

No apologies needed... i understood your post, but the only problem is ive not had a moonless clear sky yet since ive had the scope so im actually looking forward to an oppertunity to see it in all 25mm of its dark sky glory..