What to expect when viewing the Andromeda Galaxy with 20x50 Binoculars?

[StarFiveSky]

Hey, I'm currently trying to find the andromeda galaxy in the sky, some said it's hard to miss it due to its size and brightness, but I can't seem to find it even when using a map.

The issue is rather what can we expect to see when viewing the Andromeda Galaxy through a regular pair of binoculars? Someone got an album of images ?

[PatrickO]

I have not seen it except through our club's large telescope. From what I have read it is not easy to spot. You need dark sky, i.e. away from city light pollution and no bright moon. With binoculars it will appear as a large but very subtle fuzzy patch of pale light. Two or three times the size of the moon ,but very subtle

Here's quite a good article https://earthsky.org/tonight/find-the-andromeda-galaxy-in-autumn

[RAR_MI_USA]

Hello. Look at a star map (or Stellarium, etc.) and use the narrower angle of the "W" asterism of Cassiopeia as a pointer out just past the halfway point of the nearest star that it points to (in the constellation Andromeda). Center your binoculars at that area and move slightly up and down, left and right slowly, until you see a faint, white oval blob. That is M31 (Andromeda Galaxy). I know the method I gave sounds odd, but it really does work. Give it a few moments and once you find it, do it again and again. Years ago I found it this way, and ever since, remembering where to aim, I can now point to it in my binoculars almost instantly every time. By the way, M31 has the best appearance visually in binoculars. In all of my telescopes, visually, it is less noticeable and impressionable compared to when viewed in binoculars., because the FOV is narrower and due to the magnification, it is dimmer in a telescope. Also, M31 is 6 times the width of the full moon in the sky, just so very faint, and unfortunately, is very easy to miss. All that can be seen anymore due to LP, with the naked eye, is the galaxy center, which appears as a faint star.

Edited March 13, 2020 by RAR_MI_USA

[Sunshine]

Here is an image I would guess to be a long exposure, how long I don’t know, could be 10 seconds, you notice Andromeda circled. On a dark night, imagine that being about half as bright visually, through binoculars it would be an elongated smudge. 

[Stu]

This chart shows two good star hops to M31. I normally use route 2 as I find it drops you right onto the galaxy, no messing 😉.

From a dark sky it is visible with the naked eye quite easily. From a light polluted site it is not a naked eye object but can been seen in binoculars from most places. Generally you only see the small core when the is light pollution present.

I prefer the view from a dark site through a widefield scope. My Televue Genesis gives 5 degrees of sky and when the skies allow, you really do start to see the full extent of the galaxy which is about 6 moon widths long. The outer arms are very subtle but with good dark adaptation you can see them.

[John]

20x50 binoculars show a somewhat narrow field of view. You would probably find it easier to find Messier 31 / The Andromeda Galaxy with 7x or 10x 50mm binoculars if you have access to some.

 

[Steve Clay]

33 minutes ago, Stu said:

This chart shows two good star hops to M31. I normally use route 2 as I find it drops you right onto the galaxy, no messing 😉.

From a dark sky it is visible with the naked eye quite easily. From a light polluted site it is not a naked eye object but can been seen in binoculars from most places. Generally you only see the small core when the is light pollution present.

I prefer the view from a dark site through a widefield scope. My Televue Genesis gives 5 degrees of sky and when the skies allow, you really do start to see the full extent of the galaxy which is about 6 moon widths long. The outer arms are very subtle but with good dark adaptation you can see them.

Route 2 for me too.

[popeye85]

I've just started a YouTube channel on ster Hopping- here a quick one on how I find Andromeda. Hope it helps!!

 

[Stu]

3 minutes ago, popeye85 said:

I've just started a YouTube channel on ster Hopping- here a quick one on how I find Andromeda. Hope it helps!!

 

Good stuff. Just for info the Andromeda galaxy is M31 not 32. Some of the early shots are also reversed, I guess something to do with camera settings?

[bingevader]

I think it is just going to be practice.

The star hopping guides given are great.

I can remember finding it very difficult to locate when I started out, but it gets much easier once you know where it is!

On a very good night at home I can see it as a faint fuzzy blob with my specs on.

From school, in a fairly light polluted town, we have seen it through 9x63 and 8x42 bins, still faint and fuzzy, but it is possible.

You will get it eventually.

[Nicola Hannah Butterfield]

If your location is Ennepatal, in Germany, tonight at 8pm it will be towards the NW about 23° towards the north of Venus and about 10° lower but it will gradual get lower, until it sets in the north just after 1am (times are U.T.) hope this helps, it will be better viewed from late summer into the winter in the east as it rises.

[joe aguiar]

Dso really need dark or Darvish skies

In a blue zone and grey m31 looks amazing in a 80mm f5 acro

But cant really much in the city

joejaguar 

[maw lod qan]

I'm in decent dark skies and still find it hard to see naked eye. With my 8" DOB I mostly see just the core.

On a good night, after letting my eyes adjust I can begin to see the wispy outer bands, but nothing like the great images posted here on SGL. With it being 2.5 MLY away, I'm just pleased seeing it.

This is a single image at high ISO that is a bit long with the stars stretching out.

I always keep one thought in my mind when I'm viewing,  I'm seeing something with my own eyes and though it might not look like what the hubble shows me, I am really seeing it.

[popeye85]

On 13/03/2020 at 15:59, Stu said:

Good stuff. Just for info the Andromeda galaxy is M31 not 32. Some of the early shots are also reversed, I guess something to do with camera settings?

Cheers stu-not sure where the M32 came from-although these directions do serve in pointing you to M32 aswell 😁😁😁

[Pete Presland]

Its an easy spot with my 15x70's from my light polluted skies!

[BlueStinger]

I found it tonight for the very first time. I'm using Skymaster 15x70's and I believe i'm in a Bortle 5 area, but observing away from any street lights etc. I'm very new to stargazing but I'm learning where everything is fast. I'm pretty good at using a map and it feels the same thing looking up kind of. Anyway, I knew it was further down from the bigger point of Cassiopeia. Took me a while of scanning just because the binoculas reveal so many more stars heh! So amoung all the little pin pricks I eventually spotted the oval smudge with it's bright centre. Didn't get to view it long as it was just above the rooftops then slowly sank below them, but at least I now know where it is!

I'm blown away that I have finally seen Andromeda with my own eyes, and even more mind boggling that I'm seeing the light from it from 2.5 million years ago. Incredible. Hoping to get some images next time it's a clear evening.

[John]

Well done @BlueStinger

It's a nice clear night currently in North Somerset. Doing some galaxy hopping here around Leo and Ursa Major with my 12 inch scope.

 

[BlueStinger]

Just now, John said:

Well done @BlueStinger

It's a nice clear night currently in North Somerset. Doing some galaxy hopping here around Leo and Ursa Major with my 12 inch scope.

 

Thanks, I'm well chuffed It is a nice clear night down here in Yeovil too. I'm going to stay up for a few hours later tonight to make the most of it. Need to find my gloves though hahah!

Anyway, good luck to anyone else hunting for Andromeda for the first time! 

[BlueStinger]

Hi again. I popped round a friends the night before last and as we were trying (and failing) to get anything viewable in his fathers telescope we aquired I was taking more pics of the nightsky with my phone. So last night I was messing around with a program called Photoscape X i noticed that I could actually see Andromeda in a few of them. I'm mainly taking these pics to get to know the sky. It's quite fun finding out about new things to view and being able to spot them in these blanket pics I am taking beforehand. So, again, sorry about the quality but like I said these are more my personal maps rather than fancy shots. I do intend to start taking better pics but the damn weather isn't helping me do things faster heh!

Anyway, here's the pic. I'm pretty sure this is it?

Edited March 18, 2020 by BlueStinger

[joe aguiar]

Remember u need to get dark adapted first that's at least 10 min with zero lights around u

Use only red led flashlights not white, if your using a phone to take pics then that could be a problem and reck your dark adapted eyes.

If the house is lit make sure all curtains and blinds r closed on all windows and no porch or garage lights on

If and street lights shine block them out

These will help alot when see constellations in the sky and dimmer stars and dso

Joejaguar 

[BlueStinger]

Thanks Joe, I've read up on red lights being the only choice for working in the dark without wrecking night vision. In the mean time I have been using the old shut one eye method my dad told me about from his Army days. I shall be investing in a red led headlight for sure though.

[John]

No light is the best way to preserve night vision. That's what I've found when observing the more challenging objects. 

Some of the red light torches that I've seen at star parties and other events are far too bright. When you are full dark adapted even an illuminated watch face is rather glaring !

 

[BlueStinger]

17 minutes ago, John said:

No light is the best way to preserve night vision. That's what I've found when observing the more challenging objects. 

Some of the red light torches that I've seen at star parties and other events are far too bright. When you are full dark adapted even an illuminated watch face is rather glaring !

 

It's more to help me get set up until I get a feel for things in time. For example I couldn't for the life of me attach my binoculas to the tripod mount the other night without shining my phone light at it to see. I guess it will be second nature soon. Noted regarding getting a very dim red led as I would only need a slight amount of light.

[kirkster501]

Also, be careful with expectations.  Don't expect to see the core and faint dust lanes in full colour.  No one gets to see that by eye alone.

[AstroMuni]

On 13/03/2020 at 12:15, StarFiveSky said:

Hey, I'm currently trying to find the andromeda galaxy in the sky, some said it's hard to miss it due to its size and brightness, but I can't seem to find it even when using a map.

The issue is rather what can we expect to see when viewing the Andromeda Galaxy through a regular pair of binoculars? Someone got an album of images ?

Try this simulator https://www.stelvision.com/en/telescope-simulator/

Its pretty realistic for visual viewers. Tools like Stellarium seem to give you colourful images that you are unlikely to see with naked eyes and a pair of binocs or telescope.