Inside M33

[Mike73]

I've recently started making a list of DSO objects which either have a challenge or something which is overlooked by many.

Messier 33 is a prime example of this and one which when I sketched it back in 2012 I concentrated so hard on seeing the spiral arms that I neglected and also didn't know that the slightly out of focus stars in and around the galaxy were actually catalogued objects!

M33 is a notoriously tricky object anyway with a low surface brightness which hates light pollution but if you do live somewhere with a bit of LP don't right it off. Good observing technique is vital so memorise the chart (as best you can anyway!) turn your red lights off and really get dark adapted oh and get the wife to turn that damn bathroom light off! 

Theres also plenty to see for guys with larger aperture who do go out of town, should be interesting to hear what Steve and Calv can see from Elan!!

Have a read through this S+T article, its really very good. If this doesn't make you want to get stuck into it I don't know what will.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/M33-Whitman.pdf

[cotterless45]

Super post, always a big treat from dark sites. It's just a light glow from town with low magnification, although some of the brighter nebulae showed with a UHC filter. It's a strange one to observe , seeming to have no bright central core, but signs of ragged arms. It's also deceptively far from Triangulum !

Nick.

[John]

Nice piece Mike

I've enjoyed exploring M33 when the skies are dark. The H II regions such as NGC604 are relatively easy to pick up with a moderate aperture, when you know where to look !. I've found the DGM NBP filter useful for enhancing them while still leaving some of the galactic structure visible.

Any light pollution (manmade or lunar) and it does a disappearing act though !

[Mike73]

Super post, always a big treat from dark sites. It's just a light glow from town with low magnification, although some of the brighter nebulae showed with a UHC filter. It's a strange one to observe , seeming to have no bright central core, but signs of ragged arms. It's also deceptively far from Triangulum !

Nick.

Yep it has no black hole but cameras can pick up a nucleus although I've never seen any brightening towards the centre?

Nice piece Mike

I've enjoyed exploring M33 when the skies are dark. The H II regions such as NGC604 are relatively easy to pick up with a moderate aperture, when you know where to look !. I've found the DGM NBP filter useful for enhancing them while still leaving some of the galactic structure visible.

Any light pollution (manmade or lunar) and it does a disappearing act though !

I've tried a UHC on M33 but never the NPB, one of the reason I like the NPB is that there isn't that green hue that a UHC gives, its nice seeing the object the same colour as without a filter.

Lets keep our fingers crossed for clear skies over the next new moon.

[laudropb]

Very nice report, and I thought I was the only one who had a problem with the wife and bathroom light.

[jetstream]

Excellent report and link Mike, that map will be very useful.

[greglloyd]

M33 is one of my favourite galaxies to view in the 12". When the conditions are good from my back garden then the two main spiral arms are visible along with a third, less prominent arm. There are various catalogued knot features along these arms that can be picked out nicely, as well as the aforementioned NGC604 and other HII regions. One of my Autumn enjoyments for sure! It was nice getting my first glimpse of it this season during the eclipse earlier in the week. Just through the binos but it looked nice and big!