Andromeda

[yeti monster]

Whilst hunting about around Casseopia with the 20x60s, looking for something to e-sketch this evening, and going quite dizzy at all them there stars, I remembered that Andromeda wasn't too far away. So I slewed to my left a tad and "whallop". A better view than I'd had at home through my 114 reflector. Ok, so Andromeda was a lot lower that time, and there was an awful lot of LP being bounced about by the snow, but here I've not only got the lights of the rig to deal with, but the lights and perpetual and eternal flaring of the FPSO, directly in front of me, all bouncing of the very humid air.

I was astonished how well I could see the galaxy, I kept hoping that I'd see a little more "shape" to it, but no matter how hard I averted my eyes or tried to force my pupils open further, Andromeda just wouldn't cooperate.

I'm really pleased to have remembered where it was and too have picked it up straight away.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The Andromeda galaxy is always nice, and binos are amongst the best tools to see it. You need a really wide FOV to take it all in. In autumn I always pay my respects to it, usually with my 10x50, although the C8 at 50x magnification with a 1.4 deg true FOV give a clearer look at the dust band.

[yeti monster]

That was only the second time I've seen Andromeda, I need to study it more to see the full extent I think and I'm still training my eyes to pick out I can.

'tis beautiful though, isn't it?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Absolutely! One of my favourite sights. In bigger scopes you can pick up its two satellite galaxies as well (easy targets event in my old 6" Newtonian)

[gliderpilot]

You can see the two small satellite galaxies M32 and M110, in binos as well - I can regularly pick them out in 15x50 and 20x80 - but this would be dependant on light pollution obviously.

Awesome pictures of the oil rigs in your earlier thread by the way. Makes my office job seem quite tame!

Mark

[fmeireso]

Indeed so. M32 is the easiest to see, M101 more difficult but on a good night in my 15x70 no problem

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I managed M32 once or twice in my 10x50, and both stand out clearly in a little 70mm refractor I have at 15x, so I do not doubt 15x70 binos do the trick

[russ]

I had some superb views of M31 with the 15x70's, picking up M32 and M110 no probs. And that's not from a dark sky site either. After I always like to drop due south out of Andromeda into Triangulum and pick up M33. Surprisingly easy find in the 15x70's on a good night.

Best ever view of M31 was with the 12.5" dob, a Moonfish 30mm 80deg eyepiece and a 1.6deg true field of view. We picked up the dust lane no problems.

Russ

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

M33 is a real problem for me (LP amongst others). Have seen it from reasonably dark sites with my 10x50 (even with some lumpy detail), have not tried with the 15x70 (monocular (WRONG FORUM;)))

[russ]

That's a pity. I used to have the same problem from our old house. Poor horizons and major LP problems. LP was so bad on most nights that even M45 was not visible naked eye. Current house has superb all round clear horizons, can watch the planets rise out of the eastern horizon. LP is really poor to the South and West but okay to the South East and North West. And pretty good to the East. Which helps with M33.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

On the up-side: I do not have to travel far for really low levels of LP, and binos, the 15x70 "toy" achromat and the C8 transport quite well

[yeti monster]

If i try early enough I may get to search the area before Andromeda is in too much LP, but I may have to travel to find a darker western sky. My best aspects here are East and South, occasionally North if I can dodge the neighbours searchlight.