Finally got Andromeda Galaxy. Any tips on improving it

[adder001]

Yeeaahhh !!!           

I have finally found Andromeda galaxy after many nights of trying. I have always known where to look but never seemed to find it but tonight I was determined. It was the clearest it has been for a while and so I pointed my scope at where I knew it would be and unbelievable my red dot finder battery has died so I had to just use a best guess approach. (maybe thats why I found it)

Anyway I just used a 25mm eyepiece and just kept making small adjustments.

I kept at it for about 20 minutes then I saw something out of the corner of my eye and I though is that it, moved closer and yes that was it.

True enough it is just like a grey smudge but I found that the more I looked at it the more of a shape I could detect although I am not sure whether this is because I know in my mind what it looks like or whether that is actually what I am seeing (if that makes sense).

But after reading many writings about don't expect too much from observing DSO's and don't expect Hubble quality images I was very surprised at how big it was in my view. I was very impressed, better than I expected.

Now I know how to locate it, I would love to improve the contrast on the image so my question is would it be worth buying any filters or other devices to improve the quality of the image.

My telescope is an Orion StarMax 90mm Mak-Cass on an EQ2 mount. The best view I got was with my 25 lens, the 10 was ok but the 2 x Barlow was too much.

By the way I did this from my back yard which does have some light pollution from nearby streetlamps etc., so I am also wondering if a light pollution filter would help.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the long winded ramble but I am just really pleased with myself and the equipment for finding this and how good everything is

[pipnina]

Yeeaahhh !!!           

I have finally found Andromeda galaxy after many nights of trying. I have always known where to look but never seemed to find it but tonight I was determined. It was the clearest it has been for a while and so I pointed my scope at where I knew it would be and unbelievable my red dot finder battery has died so I had to just use a best guess approach. (maybe thats why I found it)

Anyway I just used a 25mm eyepiece and just kept making small adjustments.

I kept at it for about 20 minutes then I saw something out of the corner of my eye and I though is that it, moved closer and yes that was it.

True enough it is just like a grey smudge but I found that the more I looked at it the more of a shape I could detect although I am not sure whether this is because I know in my mind what it looks like or whether that is actually what I am seeing (if that makes sense).

But after reading many writings about don't expect too much from observing DSO's and don't expect Hubble quality images I was very surprised at how big it was in my view. I was very impressed, better than I expected.

Now I know how to locate it, I would love to improve the contrast on the image so my question is would it be worth buying any filters or other devices to improve the quality of the image.

My telescope is an Orion StarMax 90mm Mak-Cass on an EQ2 mount. The best view I got was with my 25 lens, the 10 was ok but the 2 x Barlow was too much.

By the way I did this from my back yard which does have some light pollution from nearby streetlamps etc., so I am also wondering if a light pollution filter would help.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the long winded ramble but I am just really pleased with myself and the equipment for finding this and how good everything is

I hear filters don't tend to work well on galaxies. But if I had to place a bet one of the light pollution filters would probably do the most good with the least harm. (depending on your LP type!)

Filters tend to work best on emission nebulae.

[laudropb]

Congratulations. Your persistence paid off. I have found that a LP filter does help but only a little. I also found that my 68 degree Maxvision also shows more contrast.

[swamp thing]

Congrats buddy.

The only way to see it better is by going somewhere really dark.

The darker your observing site, the more you will see. Andromeda doesn't require giant optics or filters. Just a really good dark sky, then be prepared to be amazed.

[Charic]

.......ditto.

Get yourself to a much darker (no visible street lighting) and safe place, and view again using the existing set-up. You will not be just surprised, but should be amazed at the difference a darker, Moonless night can make. The seeing needs to be crisp too.

Just hiding in the shadows of your garden with a hoody over your head or a blanket to get your eyes dark adjusted would be better than fitting any filters, but  the dark site is essential, have fun.

As a guide for folk still searching for Andromeda, and believe me, M31  from a LP site, its just a  faint smudge, locate the Star Mirach, then move a little closer and right  towards  Cassiopeia.

With practice you will find it, and once located, its easy to find. I used to be able to find it naked eye, but now need optics, and yes, using averted vision helps.

The next time I viewed M31 from a darker site, I could not get M31 inside the eyepiece, its that big? The darkness of the sky and low power eyepiece makes this possible!

[Stu]

M31 is huge, about 6 moon widths across but you need nice dark skies to begin to see its full extent.

To give you an indication, your scope with the 25mm eyepiece gives x50 magnification and shows about 1 degree of sky. The 10mm gives x125 and about 0.4 degrees.

M31 is around 3 degrees across, so it just won't fit into the field of view of your scope. Given the light pollution in your area, you were really only seeing the core of the Galaxy.

Here is a chart to show you the size of it. The small circle is the field of view of your scope with the 25mm eyepiece. The large circle is that of a pair of binoculars at 4.5 degrees (although they can go much bigger than this)

Get yourself to a dark site and you will see much more of it, but in your scope, which has quite a long focal length, you won't fit it all in. Wide field refractors (such as an ST80) are handy for showing this type of object.

Finally, this is a good finder chart to help get you there more quickly next time

Stu

[brantuk]

Congrats! You're quite correct that M31 isn't an object you want to magnify. The best views (as you discovered) are had with the 25mm eyepiece. I use a 35mm and a 40mm for Andromeda and could look at it for hours it's so fascinating. Two things that will improve it are darker observing sites and larger apertures - try getting a look through an 18" plus dobsonian at a star party - it's awesome.

You can get the best out of your scope by flocking it, adding a dew shield, and there's always more mileage to be had with better glass - which can get expensive. But at least now you'll never forget where it is in the sky - you should be able to spot it naked eye on a really dark night. Well done.

[adder001]

Thanks everybody for all the replies and thank you stu for such an in-depth response very informative. I definately will check out a darker area. As a family we do quite a lot of camping trips so I think a few darker sky site searches will have to be on the list. I cant wait to get the most out of this scope and there is so much on my list of things to see.

Cheers

[adder001]

Just a question to brantuk. You mention flocking the telescope and a dew shield. I know what a dew shield is but what is flocking? Do you mean covering the whole tube in some way or is the something that is available to purchase.

[Roy Challen]

Flocking is a black, non-reflective material available in rolls or sheets. You just cut it to size and stick it to the inside of your scope tube or dew shield. It helps to improve contrast, supposedly. Might be difficult to flock your mak-cass though unless the front meniscus is removable.

[adder001]

Ah right. Thanks for that I will have to investigate

[Astro Imp]

Well done on your find.

You mention flocking, this is covering the internal surfaces of the optical tube with a material that doesn't scatter light, First Light Optics stock this:- http://www.firstlightoptics.com/all-accessories/black-velour-telescope-flocking-material.html

A note on getting a better view, yes view somewhere dark but also hope that while the moon is out of the way you get a night with good transparency. I was viewing M31 last night and found it less than brilliant, I have seen it much better on really transparent nights from my edge of village location, definitely not a dark site.

Good luck and clear skies.

[Stu]

Flocking is a black, non-reflective material available in rolls or sheets. You just cut it to size and stick it to the inside of your scope tube or dew shield. It helps to improve contrast, supposedly. Might be difficult to flock your mak-cass though unless the front meniscus is removable.

Just to take this further, I really don't recommend you try and flock your scope at this stage. Flocking a Mak Cass is not necessarily trivial and the gains you get from a dark sky, using a flocked dew shield etc in my book outweigh the relatively small benefits of flocking internally, given the risks of taking your scope apart at the moment.

[adder001]

Ok thanks. I will wait and see what a dark sky brings as I dont really like the idea of tinkering with my scope either. Cheers

[faulksy]

as said by steve (swampthing) dark skies are the answer to any dso,s they even make a difference to planets steve can vouch for that just take a cushion with you. lovely report by the way

mike

[swamp thing]

as said by steve (swampthing) dark skies are the answer to any dso,s they even make a difference to planets steve can vouch for that

mike

Oi! don't you dare accuse me of observing (yawn) planetzzz zzz zzz! 

[brantuk]

Ahh yes - I agree with John - don't take your mak cass to pieces - better use a flocked dew shield - should be more than enough at a dark site. My mistake - thought you were using a newt for some reason. d'oh

[Astro Imp]

Ahh yes - I agree with John - don't take your mak cass to pieces - better use a flocked dew shield - should be more than enough at a dark site. My mistake - thought you were using a newt for some reason. d'oh

Me too, must pay more attention