If I can see Andromeda what other galaxies should I be able to see?

[Orac]

With my Mak I can see M31 as a faint fuzzy. But other galaxies and nebulas are eluding me. Maybe I am picking the wrong targets or my Goto is not properly aligned. I have a 127mm fl 1500mm Mak. 

So my question is: if I am able to see andromeda what other things should I be able to see?

[rockystar]

The core of M31 is really bright, and it's first on the list, so doesn't really do well as a baseline guide.

However, have a go at M81/82 in Uma - they are pretty bright.  And M sixty-something in Leo (another close pair - actually 3, but the third one is much fainter).

You should be able to get the Ring Neb,  in Lyra too. 

 

[Mr niall]

The mak is a good scope - but quite challenging for the old faint fuzzies. The two issues are that the very narrow field of view can make it challenging to pick out faint fuzzies - I use a manual mount and found the best way to pin them down is to use a kind of "sweep" over the target area with the scope, this helps them stand out.

The other issue is that the very long focal length and smal exit pupils gives you a very contrasty view that can drown out the fainter stuff. The best tactic for this is to get a 30 or 32mm plossl as this gives you a bigger (around 2mm) exit pupil and a mag of 50x that makes finding these things easier. But they are still very faint and very fuzzy and there is no substitute for dark adapted eyes and some serious patience!

There's a few relatively bright targets yo should think about - M13 being the most obvious, its a bit early in the year for M42 but thats good too. Try M27, i found it at 90mm last night in terrible conditions. M57 is quite easy too but very small.

I've included a link to my gallery below - these are all sketches using the same scope as yours. 

 

 

[Wiu-Wiu]

Most of the Messier and Herschel 400 list should be visible. Remember that magnification sometimes works against you, and you might want to use a lower magnification to catch more light (or make more contrast).

 

try M65 -66 this winter, M81-82 should be lovely too. 

Check out some of my sketches of bright galaxies, i usually pass on the dimmer ones so maybe there are some good targets in there for you.

[Moonshane]

It all depends on how much light pollution there is and also the prevailing conditions. Remember that the Messier galaxies are pretty much the brightest around. M81/82 is a good shout. Where I am there's a fair bit of light pollution and even with a 12" dob, many of the Herschel 400 are difficult if not impossible. I am pretty sure the Netherlands is one of the most light polluted countries in Europe? Then again Manchester is not much better.

[vlaiv]

Yes, LP is going to be limiting factor. I've managed very few galaxies with 8" dob from my LP back yard - that is red zone (borders on white). So M31 (32 and 110), M81/82 (should be easy), M51 (just central cores, almost no nebulosity), and I think that is about it that I've managed. I managed numerous nebulae and clusters though, even with 4" short achromat.

 

[Captain Scarlet]

Very much depends as well on your level of light pollution. I have a Mak127 located 30km SW of central London in Bortle 6-7ish, 19ish mag. Through that Mak, mostly with a 35mm Panoptic eyepiece, I can see a faint fuzz of M31, I've never been able for M57 or M13 or M51 or M81/2 and I have tried.

Edit: on reflection, I might have just about made out M13 as an extremely faint patch knowing it was there. But M51 I've really strained for several times and absolutely nothing.

Magnus

[Moonshane]

Magnus, you might need a bit more magnification especially for the Ring.

[John]

The core of M31 is much brighter than other galaxies we can see so if that is faint then other galaxies are going to be really challenging. I agree that M81 and M82 are the next best options followed by a few below Leo when that constellation is rising at a reasonable time.

Light pollution kills galaxies pretty effectively unfortunately. Under dark skies even 50mm binoculars will show quite a few.

[bish]

When you are looking for galaxies you will become better at spotting them with practice, using averted vision, giving the scope a slight nudge etc. Also a slight change in sky condition can mean not seeing it one night and just seeing it the next. The higher in the sky the better.  As suggested try M81 and 82 to start . You may find a few others but be patient.

 

Any stray light reflecting in the eyepiece will kill your chances too.

[Cosmic Geoff]

Light pollution is critical - I saw satisfying numbers of galaxies with my 127mm Mak and my 102mm refractor from dark rural locations, but  could see very little from my home on an average night.  One night here I even scored Nil with my C8, when M31 was not accessible. 

[Captain Scarlet]

2 hours ago, Moonshane said:

Magnus, you might need a bit more magnification especially for the Ring.

I phrased poorly - the 35mm-only was meant for M31, being so big. Though I didn't try too hard for the Ring anyway, the time I went for more magnification I found my 10mm was dewed up and being before my hairdryer epiphany, I gave up at that point.

[noah4x4]

I spent three years looking for galaxies from my light polluted back yard through an eyepiece. Spent a fortune on additional eyepieces in a desperate attempt to succeed. Other than the bright core of Andromeda, I never succeeded. 

I then bought Hyperstar + Atik Horizon cameta and I had an awesome image on screen of the Whirlpool Galaxy inside 30 seconds. There is nothing wrong with my alignments; or GoTos or tracking. It was simply a case of light pollution and poor seeing conditions limiting my visual opportunity.  Stuff like using 'averted vision' is fine advice, but useless when yet another domestic security light flashes every few minutes. 

My advice if struggling to see DSOs is unless you have genuinely dark skies nearby, don't waste excessive amounts of money on expensive eyepieces chasing them. Have patience and persevere, but you might have to accept that EAA is the only solution unless content with 'faint fuzzies.

 

[Orac]

The lightpolution map puts me in Bortle scale 5. So in terms of galaxies not so good?

I my first scope years ago I was able so see glimpses of the Orion Nebula with averted vision. And that was  more light polluted sky but with a scope with a shorter fl. 

Thanks for the various tips. I guess it’s just a matter of trying and seeing. 

[Wiu-Wiu]

Orac, are you on astroforum too? Lots of Dutch people there. (And some really helpful others  )

[Orac]

Not actively. But I read up there from time to time. 

[Geoff Lister]

My location at about 51.4 degrees N, and is listed as Bortle 5.

Last night, I was using my Heritage 130P collapsible Newtonian on my Skymax mount, to get wider views than its normal 127mm Mak. I used Saturn as my initial alignment - it was as though I was viewing it at the bottom of a swimming pool. Mars, sitting next to the Moon was not much better. The core of M31 was fine, so I had a look at M57. It was a challenge to find, at about 90 degrees azimuth from the Moon, as some of the stray moonlight was illuminating some internal parts of the telescope tube. Normally, I don't have problems finding M57 when (as it was last night) it is at higher altitudes. I added M15 to the list of my observed "Ms", as the moonlight did not seem to be a problem with the internal reflections when looking more in the direction of the Moon.

As the Moon was clearly going to obscure most of the faint fuzzies, I enjoyed spending the remaining  time looking at the Moon, particularly along the terminator.

Geoff