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Finding objects

Peter Reader

By Peter Reader
in The Astro Lounge

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Peter Reader

Peter Reader

Posted
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Hi all!

Recently I've tried to find the Galaxy Andromeda but with no luck whatsoever. I've tried the common technique of star hopping but there are so many stars I find it impossible.

Is there a way of using the changing and complicated coordinates from stellarium to locate objects?

Thanks

Pete

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brantuk

brantuk

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Should be easy enough to find andromeda as it's the only naked eye galaxy in our sky. In fact I saw it two nights ago outside the house - then got the binocs for a better look. A 200P will have no trouble at all.

Find the great square of pegasus, from the top left star hop two to the left (in a shallow upward arc), then turn right 90 degrees and go slowly up a star. It's just above there, you can't miss it. If you do - extend a line directly down from the pointy bit of cassiopea to intersect that area - you should be bang on :)

Practise these instructions in stellarium then go outside and apply it to the sky and you should be pleasantly surprised.

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Ouroboros

Ouroboros

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Since getting my 200p over a year ago now I've actually spent more time just familiarising myself with the constellations and finding DSOs like Andromeda galaxy with bins. It then becomes much easier to find objects with the telescope.

Star hopping, like brantuk describes, seems to work for me - as is familiarising myself with star patterns in books and stellarium. Without GOTO there's no substitute for learning the sky.

I hope this isn't construed as advertising but I find the Sky at Night magazine monthly report on objects to spot this month useful. It gives something to aim for and you learn the sky in the process.

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Capricorn

Capricorn

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Came in as doc format not a pic.

Use Casseiopia. The steep V "points" to Andromeda, thats how it was explained to me and is fair.

The 2 inner stars of the steep V point to the square of Pegasus.

The "top" corner one is also part of Andromeda.

Think it is 2 stars along and then up a bit.

Damn difficult to explain without a sky and you present.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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star hopping but there are so many stars I find it impossible.

Sounds to me that you may possibly be looking in the wrong place. I spent a year trying to find M31 around Uras Major ( no stellarium them days :D) I'd got the square of Pegasus confused with the square of Ursa Major. Needless to say I was also looking the wrong time of the year also :)

I think your in the wrong place as if you have to many star over your sky then this suggest your sky is dark and if so you should be able to see M31 reasonably easy by eye. Even in light polluted skys I have found on clear good seeing nights I can pick out M31 with averted vision and I only get to see the bright constellations most the time.

Have you tried using a compass ? if you have a laptop/stellarium and a compass bearing you may get a better feel for the sky. My original mistakes were due to not understanding how to use a planasphere but when you get your NESW correctly orientated it makes life so much easier.

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Staffy

Staffy

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I go with the Casseiopia method. Follow a line drawn through the centre and out of the bottom of the big V in the constellation for about three times the length of the V shape and look around that spot. It's not quite on the line but it's not far off it. As long as your sky is dark enough you should be able to see it there.

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johnnychaos

johnnychaos

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I was having problems finding it last night too. with it being so high it's uncomfortable to look through the finderscope.

So I've got a couple of iPhone apps to help.

"SkySafari Lite" which gives me a night vision view of the sky and gives me the Alt/Az coords of any object.

"Angle" which is free and gives me the accurate angle of my scope by resting the phone against it.

So should have better luck now. :)

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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I found it in the end by looking at the correct constellation for 1 :)

Once I found the square of Pegasus adjacent to this is Andromeda which is a line of 3 stars from the corner of the square leading out almost parallel with the W of Cassiopeia.

I then count 2 bright stars over from the square. You will notice the second star has 2 slightly fainter stars which run of towards Cassiopeia (Andromeda's belt) at the second star along the belt M31 is approx 3' to the right line side of the star.

I hope this helps as I'm useless at explaining things. It has worked out the easiest method for finding M31 for me.

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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yes, that's completely normal. at darker sites and with a bit more magnification you can see a dark dust lane and a lot more expanse of the thing. now you have found this, try and find the close by satellite galaxies, M32 and M110. I find the former easier at home and the latter was much more obvious at a dark site.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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Congratulations Peter!! Unfortunately from what I am aware no filters can be used to enhance galaxies so traveling to dark skies is the only option. Even then you will get the same fuzzy patch but with dark adapted eyes and less light pollution you will be able to tease a little more detail in the structure.

SPACEBOY

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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I have been told on 2" tripod legs it should be solid for visual. The trouble with a 200p on an EQ5 is that due to the length of the tube it puts a certain level of leverage on the Axis and this can become a greater strain depending on where your OTA is pointing. The recommended weight for a EQ5 is approx 10-12KG and I think a 200p comes in around 8+kg. But add the leverage in to the mix and it then makes it a little touchy. I have my EQ5 mounted on a concrete pillar but it will still give me a second of dancing stars during focusing as the mount allows the slight flex. I think with a DSLR adding to the weight you may find it a little too much for the mount. Quick expos should be OK but DSO's requiring several minutes may show drifting.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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Right OK, thanks for the heads up. I'm determined to try anyway. Are there any techniques to capturing galaxies or is it simply leaving the shutter on the camera open for a long time and tellingt he motor to track?

May be better to drop a thread in the imaging section for these kind of questions. They would best advise how to proceed with your setup.

Good luck with the imaging and make sure you post some pics.

SPACEBOY

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