M31 was very easy, M33 almost invisible

[DemosL]

Last night was the first time (since buying my 15x70 binos in April) that I was able to see M31. It was bright, big and easy. I had never seen M33 in my scopes. I looked for it where it should have been and could barely see an object about the size of the Moon. I had to keep moving the binos from side to side to see if I was actually seeing something. Both objects wer about 45 to 50 deg high at 1:00 am.

Before I quit, I also saw the Perseus Double Cluster, whch was rising over my neighbor's house. I can't wait to see it when it's higher in the sky and brighter. I hope M33 shows up better, when it's higher up.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

M33 is a tricky one. It really needs clear, dark skies. M31 is much easier

[Highburymark]

Wow, nice work - you must have good skies.

[laudropb]

I have only ever managed to see M33 from truly dark sky sites. It's low surface brightness is always washed out by lip from my semi-suburban garden.

[DemosL]

My skies are only medium to dark grey. As I mentioned the object were not at their highest height.

[Sweety]

Hi guy, I've observed m31 quite a bit recently, its awesome through the binos, also m11 I find easy, yet to spot the galaxy's around the plough though, they elude me somehow,thanks darren.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I can see M33 from my suburban garden, but it is very hard, and I only spot the central region, and only under really transparent sky conditions. Under truly dark skies it is a stunner in my 80mm F/6 with 22mm Nagler (22x mag), and only slightly less impressive in the 15x70 Helios Apollos

[Pete Presland]

M33 needs good dark skies and you to allow your eyes to adjust to the dark.

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[BinocularSky]

I find M33 (& M101) easier in 10x50s than 15x70s (semi-rural location): in the latter, they just look like a slight brightening of the sky, but in 10x50s they look like "objects". As has been said, both benefit from good transparency.

[spike95609]

I've seen it a couple of times in my 15x70s, but it's always been extremely faint, so much so that if you didn't know it was there you'd go straight on by without a second glance, and even when I did know it was there I had to give the bins a bit of a wobble just to make sure it was part of the sky and not something wrong with my eyes.

[hgjevans]

Provided it's a clear moonless night, then I generally have no trouble spotting M33 in my 15x70s here - nothing you could call structure, but it's definitely there. Where I used to live in rural Dorset I could see it with 8x42s, but not here. I would love to try the larger bins on it at a properly dark site.

[callisto]

I find M33 (& M101) easier in 10x50s than 15x70s (semi-rural location): in the latter, they just look like a slight brightening of the sky, but in 10x50s they look like "objects". As has been said, both benefit from good transparency.

Same as me 

[ollypenrice]

The trick of moving the optics to find faint things is always a good one. I found M33 really elusive in the UK. Let it get high in the sky and find a dark site and it is far more rewarding.

We reckon we had it naked eye last week. I wasn't sure for myself but our guest was confident that he had it.

Olly

[chiltonstar]

M33 is usually reasonably easy here (semi-dark, rural urban site) in 15x70s; as stated above, sweeping the sky reveals more as averted vision kicks in. A few nights ago, a very clear night after the rain, it was also visible with hints of detail in my 5" Mak with a 32mm Plossl.

Chris

[Bodkin]

The trick of moving the optics to find faint things is always a good one. I found M33 really elusive in the UK. Let it get high in the sky and find a dark site and it is far more rewarding.

We reckon we had it naked eye last week. I wasn't sure for myself but our guest was confident that he had it.

Olly

Yes, I have certainly seen it with the naked eye under really dark skies in the desert and rural France. Never saw it in urban conditions near Cardiff with anything from binoculars up to a twelve inch DOB. In my fairly dark mid Wales skies it is easily visible with my little 2.1x42 Vixen binoculars. I don't know of an object that more clearly demonstrates the importance of dark skies for deep sky observing.

[BinocularSky]

We reckon we had it naked eye last week. I wasn't sure for myself but our guest was confident that he had it.

I've had it naked eye (AV, but not DV) once only from the UK - a few years ago on a particularly transparent November night. Not too difficult from a proper dark site as long as transparency i sgood.

[Peter Drew]

Within reason, M33 gets easier to see the more sky there is around it for contrast, also easy in my 2.1x42 Vixens on a good night.