In search of M51

[Scotty27]

Tonight is only my 3rd night out with my telescope so I am struggling to find things at the minute - I have been trying my hardest to locate the whirpool galaxy M51, I start off at Alkaid and try and move right from there but can't seem to find it - would it be bright enough to see in my finder scope or does this really need the setting circles to really pinpoint it?

Also, whilst looking for this I got distracted by what I can only assume was a shooting star, i managed to keep in in view for about 5 seconds as I only had my 25mm lens in but it was moving way too fast!

Are these quite common as I am sure that is the 2nd one I have seen in the 3 nights I have spent observing?

[oldfruit]

Hi, don`t be too disheartened. I have the same size scope and it has taken me over a year to find M51. You will not see it in your finder scope. My advice would be to use your lowest magnification eyepiece( i found 32x best) and point your scope where you think it should be and gently scan around until you see what appears like 2 very faint side by side smudges. That should be M51. That is how i finally found it. Hope that helps.

Clear skies.

Mark.

[Bizibilder]

Its very faint! Until you see it - then a few minutes and you will start to see the "swirls" - very faint but definately there!!

[Ender Of Days]

I first saw M51 in my old 20x50 binoc's,I had them fixed to the loft window frame and spent quite a while hopping from asterism to asterism till I found it,

It was just a faint smudge but Id finally found it (was chuffed to bits)

Have you got a chart of the area ?

JJ..

[Scotty27]

I first saw M51 in my old 20x50 binoc's,I had them fixed to the loft window frame and spent quite a while hopping from asterism to asterism till I found it,

It was just a faint smudge but Id finally found it (was chuffed to bits)

Have you got a chart of the area ?

JJ..

I have just been using Stellerium at the minute, maybe I am not looking close enough or not giving my eyes enough time to adjust to the conditions before looking.

I got a bit distracted last night anyway because my garden faces south and saturn was right up there in front of me I turned my attentions to that for a while.

[swamp thing]

Hi

M51 is not an easy target if its only your third time out with a scope.

As with most face on spirals it is easily washed out if your sky is light polluted.

Someone will probably say they've seen it from central London but It's not easy with LP.

I would try and get a bit more simple stuff under me belt first.

Eg. Auriga's open clusters M36, M37, M38 The Beehive in Cancer...etc

Once you've the hang of your scope better then go faint fuzzy hunting.

Good hunting and clear skies

Steve

[spanky]

I found it by first making a triangle using the finder scope, and then looking for that rectangular shape with a 25mm eyepiece. It's a very faint thought. Well it is in my 6"

Hope this picture helps a bit

[steveangel]

In response to your point about shooting stars, I can almost guarentee what you actually saw was a satellite. To view a shooting star with the naked eye for 5+ seconds is extremely impressive as they move so damn quickly.

To catch 2 in your scope on only your 3rd night out is unbelievable, sorry

Steve

[Scotty27]

Swampy/Spanky,

Maybe I am trying to run before I can walk. At the minute though I am able to see orions belt early doors and then M51 etc comes round as the night goes on so didn't think there would be any easier targets in sight.

I will have a look at the list above to see if anythng would be achievable and try and plan out an observing session properly.

Thanks for your time and help guys, I think the moon will be up in a couple of days so I am sure I can't miss that.

[Scotty27]

In response to your point about shooting stars, I can almost guarentee what you actually saw was a satellite. To view a shooting star with the naked eye for 5+ seconds is extremely impressive as they move so damn quickly.

To catch 2 in your scope on only your 3rd night out is unbelievable, sorry

Steve

Steve,

I didn't think about that, I think their movements are tracked on Stellerium so I will wind it back to the time and date and see if there was one passing by in that location.

Thanks.

[John]

Swampy/Spanky,

Maybe I am trying to run before I can walk. At the minute though I am able to see orions belt early doors and then M51 etc comes round as the night goes on so didn't think there would be any easier targets in sight.

I will have a look at the list above to see if anythng would be achievable and try and plan out an observing session properly.

Thanks for your time and help guys, I think the moon will be up in a couple of days so I am sure I can't miss that.

M81 and M82, also in Ursa Major are easier to find than M51 in my opinion. You can see them both together in the field of a low power eyepiece

The globular cluster M13 in Hercules is also great target in an 8" aperture.

[Vega]

Funnily enough, last night I hunted down M81 / M82 (in the same rough direction as M51) and I too caught a satellite.. it had an orangy tinge to it and quite swift moving (as it should through an eyepiece.. even at only 37x mag).

M51 is a tough one and sky conditions drastically have an effect on how easy it is to find on a given night. The other problem is its quite small. I've certainly found it difficult to see any trace of in the finderscope when its pointed directly on it. I also use the 'asterism hopping' method as mentioned. Finding the triange and oblong shape. (Make sure you got the right triangle... there's plenty of them! lol)

On paper it should be relatively easy to find being close to Alkaid.. but in practice I've found this is not so (and this is my 6th year at this malarky). Try the Auriga clusters... a lot easier but they still have some challenge to it finding all three in one sweep.

Happy hunting!

Matt

Matt

[scotttumsh01]

I caught the satellite as well! pretty amazin sight the 2 galaxies and a man made object in the EP at the same time!!

[Rob L]

Try the Auriga clusters... a lot easier but they still have some challenge to it finding all three in one sweep.

I agree with this, not only are many of the clusters easier to find than most DSO's, but (for me at least) provide much more of a wow factor than a faint galaxy.

I think a lot of the pleasure from DSO's comes not from the viewing but the challenge in finding them. M1 took me a good few trys in my Mak127 and I was ecstatic when I eventually found it, but if I'm honest it's not much to look at.

[John]

I agree with this, not only are many of the clusters easier to find than most DSO's, but (for me at least) provide much more of a wow factor than a faint galaxy....

I tend to agree too - the double cluster in Perseus is simply stunning in virtually any scope - and it's easy to find

[Scotty27]

Thanks for all the great advice guys, I will make M81 / M82 my target for tonight!

[Steve C]

I eventually found M51 t'other night, had to wait until midnight for it to rise high enough out from the glow of the local town streetlights though

At first glance its not actually much to look at but after some study I could just make out some detail

[bigglesdad]

So far I've only found M81. I think it's because it's very high in the sky and everything else is low and the light pollution affects it. My garden faces north east, so I have a few targets in leo to try for too.

[Damo636]

I am lucky enough to have nice dark skies where i live so finding M51 not so difficult in my 8'' newt. It would probably be difficult from even slightly light polluted skies though.