My first dso M31

[AstroNebulee]

Hi

I finally managed to view my first dso last night, the M31 andromeda galaxy. I used my 7x50 binoculars at first to locate cassiopeia and turn left at orion, then using the bottom star in the 'w' to find mirach the followed up two stars and then saw it a dull grey patch, do switched to my astromaster 130eq with 20mm ep as the lowest I have, after a struggle got to where I should be as sky is still quite light for observation of dso's. I did barlow the 20mm to get closer, as I said still to light sky and street light was annoying, but I was blown away by viewing my first dso. I've been mainly concentrating on planetary and lunar observations since getting my telescope in May but this has given me more incentive to chase and find other dso's especially when the nights become darker and earlier in autumn and winter so will plump for a new lower ep thinking of a 25mmor 32mm one from flo to get better field of view to starhop easier. Sorry if I'm waffling on about such an it's easy dso to find but it's fascinating and a passion of astronomy that keeps on giving to such a new astronomer in me. Clear skies everyone 

Edited July 12, 2020 by LeeHore7
Adding text

[IB20]

It’s one of my nightly views at the minute, even in small bins it’s a fascinating object. It’s jaw dropping to view something outside of our galaxy. Viewing a smudge in the sky and thinking about the trillion stars and half a billion planets it contains is mind blowing. It’s a shame none of us will be around to see what happens to the night sky when it collides with the Milky Way! 
 

🤯

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, IB20 said:

It’s one of my nightly views at the minute, even in small bins it’s a fascinating object. It’s jaw dropping to view something outside of our galaxy. Viewing a smudge in the sky and thinking about the trillion stars and half a billion planets it contains is mind blowing. It’s a shame none of us will be around to see what happens to the night sky when it collides with the Milky Way! 
 

🤯

Yes I was reading about when it will collide something like 6 billion years I think, it was a fascinating and mind blowing experience to see that faint smudge knowing like you say it all the billions of stars there. Would you recommend a 26mm or 32mm ep for viewing I can't decide 

[Waddensky]

It's always fascinating to realise the distance these photons travelled before they hit your retinae and cause your brain to 'see' it. They left 2.5 million years ago, around the time the first archaic humans appeared in Africa. That's one heck of a smudge!

The galactic collision is predicted to occur in about 4.5 billion years. The Sun is still around by then.

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, Waddensky said:

It's always fascinating to realise the distance these photons travelled before they hit your retinae and cause your brain to 'see' it. They left 2.5 million years ago, around the time the first archaic humans appeared in Africa. That's one heck of a smudge!

The galactic collision is predicted to occur in about 4.5 billion years. The Sun is still around by then.

Yes one heck of a smudge to think of what we are just seeing and how long its taken to get to our eyes today.  I like your prediction on the time of collision being 1.5 billion years earlier, i wonder if anyone or anything will ever see it!!! 

[IB20]

2 hours ago, LeeHore7 said:

Yes I was reading about when it will collide something like 6 billion years I think, it was a fascinating and mind blowing experience to see that faint smudge knowing like you say it all the billions of stars there. Would you recommend a 26mm or 32mm ep for viewing I can't decide 

I’ve been looking at it through 8* bins for the last few session, think I need to wait until late autumn for it to be at favourable views for my scope. I’d probably say 32mm though!

[AstroNebulee]

22 minutes ago, IB20 said:

I’ve been looking at it through 8* bins for the last few session, think I need to wait until late autumn for it to be at favourable views for my scope. I’d probably say 32mm though!

Yes cant wait for autumn when skies start getting darker earlier aswell so not up so late or early in morning, thank you for your advice ill go with the 32mm , i can only afford the astro essentials fro FLO at the moment but will upgrade slowly to Starguiders now i know which ep i use mostly.

[IB20]

 

1 hour ago, LeeHore7 said:

Yes cant wait for autumn when skies start getting darker earlier aswell so not up so late or early in morning, thank you for your advice ill go with the 32mm , i can only afford the astro essentials fro FLO at the moment but will upgrade slowly to Starguiders now i know which ep i use mostly.

On FLO website for eyepieces they have a field of view simulator tool which shows the framing of M31 in lower magnifications. Just enter your scope make and the eyepiece you’re thinking of getting and it’ll show you what would fit in the FOV.

[estwing]

If the Galaxy bug has bit...try getting to dark skies for a few hours. Remember the best accessorie for your scope is a tank of petrol.

Edited July 14, 2020 by estwing

[AstroNebulee]

7 hours ago, estwing said:

If the Galaxy bug has bit...try getting to dark skies for a few hours. Remember the best accessorie for your scope is a tank of petrol.

I have quite dark skies to one side of my flat which is good, thing is I don't drive either but within short walking distance of an ace spot 

[AstroMuni]

On 12/07/2020 at 10:09, LeeHore7 said:

Would you recommend a 26mm or 32mm ep for viewing I can't decide 

If you are using the Astromaster 130 then 32mm would give you an exit pupil of 32/5 = 6.5mm. So depending on your age this may or may not suit the entrance pupil of your eye. Ideally the exit pupil should not be more than your entrance pupil to optimise the amount of light gathered. As we age our ability to dilate the pupil diminishes 😞

Edited July 23, 2020 by AstroMuni

[AstroNebulee]

8 hours ago, AstroMuni said:

If you are using the Astromaster 130 then 32mm would give you an exit pupil of 32/5 = 6.5mm. So depending on your age this may or may not suit the entrance pupil of your eye. Ideally the exit pupil should not be more than your entrance pupil to optimise the amount of light gathered. As we age our ability to dilate the pupil diminishes 😞

I plumped for a 32mm ep and it provides a good fov and eye relief. 

[kirkster501]

Always a great first target is M31.  Look for the sateliite galaxies as well, easily visible in a small scope.

[AstroNebulee]

On 16/08/2020 at 09:15, kirkster501 said:

Always a great first target is M31.  Look for the sateliite galaxies as well, easily visible in a small scope.

I will check them out thank you, I saw M30 last night whilst my skymax 127 was set up on the mount, the air quality was poor and M30 was low down but could make it out, was another dso ticked off 😁

[des anderson]

Welcome to the rocky road of DSO objects, it`s a big universe out there and take some advice. ENJOY IT. Des

[AstroNebulee]

8 hours ago, des anderson said:

Welcome to the rocky road of DSO objects, it`s a big universe out there and take some advice. ENJOY IT. Des

Hi Des

Thank you, even though I'm just starting out on them and smudges at the moment, I will hone my skills to get better views of them when clear skies return and better air quality do far I've seen m15 and M30 and really enjoying them, trying for double stars aswell and managed so far to split Mirach. Clear skies