Andromeda and M32

[Nick P]

Have just been observing Andromeda and managed to view M110 as well, albeit as a very small hazy patch at the edge of the field of view, however try as I might I could not see M32.

According to Starry night M110 has an apparent magnitude of 10 as does M32 - one stands out well and the other invisible.

As M31 has an apparent mag of 4.5 and appears to be very close to M32 would the big brother's light drown the other out?

Does anyone else find M32 a challenge? Or is it just me

[oldfruit]

Hi, M110 is quite small so its apparent magnitude of mag 10 is condensed into a small compact area. M32 however appears larger so its apparent magnitude of mag 10 is spread out over a larger area. To be honest, at first I overlooked it because it looks almost like a star, but closer inspection reveals that it is a galaxy with an almost star like nucleus and very faint surroundings. What scope and magnification were you using to observe them?

[Moonshane]

I found them the other way round at home where there's LP - M32 more obvious than M110. At a dark site it was completely reversed - M110 being very obvious and M32 harder of the two to find - weird!

[oldfruit]

I found them the other way round at home where there's LP - M32 more obvious than M110. At a dark site it was completely reversed - M110 being very obvious and M32 harder of the two to find - weird!

OOpps. Sorry but Moonshane is right. I have got them the wrong way around. M110 is more diffuse and M32 is more compact. (Note to self) put brain into gear before typing.

Sorry again but been out observing since 6pm and the brain aint running on full. Need coffee.

[Nick P]

Now you've both got me wondering whether I was seeing M32 not M110!

Andromeda was very diffuse with the brighter core, and about 0.5 of a degree away was a bright star like core with faint nebulosity surrounding it, which I identified as M110 as it was to the east of the view - the newt just inverts the image (?)

I was using a mag of 82x in a field of view of 0.98 degrees, how far away would you say M32 was from M31 in your views?

Thanks both

Nick

[oldfruit]

I double checked just to be sure and you were right Moonshane. With regard to how far away, i honestly don`t know.

[Moonshane]

hi Nick

see http://seds.org/messier/Jpg/m31.jpg

M32 is 'top left' so would be 'bottom right' in a newt. if M31 is say 2.5 degrees across, I'd say M110 is more than 1 degree from the centre but M32 is less.

that said, one of my books suggests you should get the cores of them all in a 1 degree field.

[Lazzy]

Just come in myself, got my first sight of the Andromeda galaxy but couldn't find it's near neighbour. Even came back in for another look at Stellarium, still without luck on my return to the garden! Next time...

[Nick P]

hi Nick

see http://seds.org/messier/Jpg/m31.jpg

M32 is 'top left' so would be 'bottom right' in a newt. if M31 is say 2.5 degrees across, I'd say M110 is more than 1 degree from the centre but M32 is less.

that said, one of my books suggests you should get the cores of them all in a 1 degree field.

Thanks Shane, it must be M32 not M110 the images on Starry night (similar to your link) show M32 almost in M31 which threw me, with light pollution I can see the cores but only a hint of the arms so it looks much further away, will have to check again next time I get a clear sky

[Nick P]

Just come in myself, got my first sight of the Andromeda galaxy but couldn't find it's near neighbour. Even came back in for another look at Stellarium, still without luck on my return to the garden! Next time...

Out of interest what magnification were you using? M32 (as I have now established is what I was looking at) was a small fuzz patch with a bright star sized centre which I only saw by chance as the image drifted through the FOV.

[ollypenrice]

The little one (whatever you want to call it!!!) often just looks stellar in smaller apertures. You just need to scrutinize the stars in the field for one that looks a tad soft.

Olly

[Lazzy]

Out of interest what magnification were you using? M32 (as I have now established is what I was looking at) was a small fuzz patch with a bright star sized centre which I only saw by chance as the image drifted through the FOV.

Hey Nick, I was working with x60. I did swap the eyepiece to move mag up to x130 but, as Olly said, it's a tad soft.

[Nick P]

The little one (whatever you want to call it!!!) often just looks stellar in smaller apertures. You just need to scrutinize the stars in the field for one that looks a tad soft.

Olly

Thanks Olly, just been out again to check what I was looking at last night and it was definitely M32 and Shane and Oldfruit pointed out, found the star field that M110 should be in and although one looks a little softer than the others its hard to make a positive ID (probably due to LP) at 47x and 82x.

I think I need a darker site for this one!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I find M110 Quite easy because it is more elongated than M32 (which looks almost stellar). Dark nights or an LP filter do help.