Colour in Andromeda??

[badgerchap]

Gave my new 40mm EP it's first light tonight. Had a look at a couple of globulars, an open cluster or two, and then turned my attention to M31, Well, it was a stunning sight. Bright as a button and filling the FOV with the disk. Oddly though, there appeared to be quite a definite bluish tint. When I've looked at M31 in the past, the only suggestion of colour has been a very faint, dirty greenishness to the smudge. Any ideas why a blue tint has suddenly turned up? Or am I just smelling things?

[yeti monster]

It could be party season in Andromeda.......

[DarkerSky]

Very interesting. No idea why you might be seeing colour though. I was on M31 last week. I'm thinking I might have a go at sketching it this autumn

[George]

M31 has always looked greenish to me too using the MK1 eyeball.

[garyscott]

Ive always seen a green colour to M31, due to the human eye being most sensitive to the green part of the spectrum.

[jinstan]

It appears bright white at the centre (core), no greenish colour for me.

[russ]

Can't say i have seen colour with M31, just white. But our dark site has made such a difference to the view i get of M31 but still no colour. Does make the dust lane very easy to spot.

[Starblazer]

The conservatives are trying to take over the universe >.<

[LukeSkywatcher]

Maybe its something to do with the coating on your 40mm.

[garyscott]

Would there be a 'minimum' requirement with regards to equipment, before you are able to see dust lanes, colours other than green etc?

[Vega]

There is only one DSO I have ever seen any colour and thats the green tinge of M42. Andromeda has always been white/grey in my 10" dob

[Chris H]

Would there be a 'minimum' requirement with regards to equipment, before you are able to see dust lanes, colours other than green etc?

I would think for a lot more detail in DSO's you'd be looking at something like a 20" Dobsonian and for colours just something massive absolutely massive.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Seeing the dust lane depends mostly on how dark your site is. I have seen the dust lane from a very dark site in France, with nothing more than a pair of 15x70 binos. The larger FOV help in spotting it. I have not been aware of colour in M31, but the core should be slightly redder than the outer regions, due to reduced star formation in the core as compared to the spiral arms. The observed difference could indeed be due to coatings.

The fact that the rods in the eye are most sensitive to the green/yellow part of the spectrum does not mean you would see that colour first. The cones need to fire up first.

[Talitha]

I've detected 2 dust lanes with the 16", but never any color.

[cotterless45]

I'm envious, I'm colour blind. My son peered through my scope and was amazed at all the different coloured stars. I'd like to see that!!!