Andromeda Galaxy

[jACK101]

I am struggling. I have been trying for the last 2 hours to find Andromeda and can't. I know my eyesight isn't so good these days so I was using a modified Canon 600d on live view on my Celestron CPC925 with 0.63 focal reducer. The camera fed into APT so that I could get a picture on screen. I set up the scope pointing due south and elevation 76 degrees as measured by a digital inclinometer and then scanned as far as 15 degrees to the east. This was about an hour before Andromeda was due to be due south.

 

I altered the inclination slightly up and down and continued scanning. I could see individual stars and I could focus quite accurately but I could not find Andromeda. The moon was out and was illuminated 70%.

Is it unreasonable to expect to see Andromeda under these conditions?

I also took a series of photographs which showed individual stars but no galaxy. Andromeda is pretty large. What am I doing wrong?

 

Thanks

 

Jack

[Gina]

I would say there's too much moon - Andromeda isn't all that bright.

[geordie85]

Your FOV is very small and will not show the whole of andromeda. Here is a screenshot of a FOV calculator. The small green square is your FOV. 

You could always try uploading a jpeg image to nova.astometry.net to platesolve your image to see how far off you really are. 

[jACK101]

Thanks for your replies.

 

Jack

[Debo]

I think your best bet is to use a pair of binoculars  (if you have some), the Andromeda galaxy is a large object and with your setup you would only be able to see a small section and it would be very dim.

A short focal length is the way to go. ?

[david_taurus83]

Live view on the 600D won't pick up any hints of M31 or nebulosity of M42, for example. It's like video mode where Its taking and displaying many short exposures a second. Try taking 15/20 second snapshots at ISO1600. You should definitely pick up the core of Andromeda then. As above, your field of view is very narrow with the Celestron. A good set of binoculars is a good shout.

[Davey-T]

You should be able to star hop to it using the finder scope if you've got one.

As mentioned not much of it in the FOV, in my 10" I just get the core.

I found a right angle magnifying finder fitted to the view finder showed it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Right-Angle-View-Finder-Eyecup-Eyepiece-for-Canon-Nikon-Pentax-SONY-DSLR-Camera/223177397731?hash=item33f668d5e3:g:VgoAAOSw3T5b1taX:rk:22:pf:0

Dave

[niallk]

It took me 5 nights to find Andromeda for the first time with my 10" dob ??

But wow! My 1st galaxy... I was chuffed!

[maw lod qan]

I knew right where it should be and even thought I could faintly make it out with averted vision, but still struggled to get it in the fov of my 8" dob. 

But when I finally did, the core immediate stood out!!

Then after viewing for over thirty minutes, in a comfortable chair so I could relax, more wispy detail began to show. 

Hang in there.