First time Bode's Galaxy

[twotter]

After having a look at Mars, followed by a really nice view of Saturn I set out to look for M81 and M82. In the last few months they've been hiding around the other side of my house, but as the weeks have gone by they've slowly moved over the roof until they've become visible.

My plan was to take a line from Phad to Dubhe in the Plough, then continue on for about the same length and move slightly up a touch. Well, that's how it looked to me in Stellarium. Only thing was I couldn't find it with my trusty 'search' 25mm EP. I tried sweeping back and forth, then up and down, and kept nipping back into the conservatory where my laptop was running. This was getting frustrating as there was no cloud as yet and I was positive I was looking in the right place.

The answer was, of course, my FOV was too small and it wasn't until I swapped to my 32mm EP that there they were! Just like the close up on Stellarium, two nice fuzzy's. Swapping through my EPs didn't offer much more detail and it was really the wide field view that showed them off as a pair.

My 32mm EP really is my favourite and M81 & M82 are another two additions to my Messier list, up to 17 now

[ampleamp]

Hi Twotter, found this last night for the first time as well. As other comments on here suggest, the moon wasn't helpful but at least my house could block it out to some extent. Anyway, my first M off my own bat so quite pleased, A

[John]

IMHO M81 and M82 are the nicest galaxies to view with a small - medium sized scope. I 1st found them with a 60mm refractor about 30 years ago and I've had a "soft spot" for them ever since.

Well done for locating them - with the moon around, no galaxy is an easy spot.

[richbyers]

well done m81/2 are a really good catch, keep it up!

rich