Finding the Sombrero

[JamesF]

I must have spent getting on for four hours looking for this over the last couple of months, but it's completely evaded me. Is it that hard to find visually (without GOTO)? Anyone have hints for star-hopping to it

or other ways to find it?

James

[Ursa Major]

Right, if you look at the image on top, you will notice saturn. The galaxy is located under saturn.

Look at the 2nd image and find the star named algorab. It is in the constellation under the sombrero galaxy.

now look at the 3rd image and you will see to the right and to the bottom right, two groups of stars each with a line of 3.

Now look back to the 2nd image and find these two lines of stars.

All you need to do now is to find the star algorab in the finder, and then go up (north) until you find these lines of stars.

Remember if your scope is a reflector the image will be mirrored (but you probably know that)

Good luck:)

[DrNeb]

I found this last night with the help of "gliderpilot" from the forums at a star party. it was epic! good luck! it's worth it.

[GazK]

I found it last night - or should I say a more experienced member of our stargazing club found it for me. It's not near any bright star so my normal telrad+wave-about-a-bit technique doesn't seem to work.

[GazOC]

Just dropping down from Saturn worked for me last night.

[Nexus 6]

One good thing about M104 is the visual magnitude (Vm). That should help you as its around 8.5 a lot better than some in Virgo. It certainly stands out once found and the familiar shape is present, makes for a pleasant sight. For me though I did use the go to, so can not really help in starhoping to it.

Hope you do find it though, good luck

[JamesF]

Thanks for the ideas. I shall give it another go tonight.

James

[Mark at Beaufort]

I always start with Algorab the top left main star in the constellation of Corvus. The Sombrero galaxy is 5 degrees from this star and is very close to some nice smallish multiple star groups. If you draw a line from Algorab direct to Saturn you pass the galaxy on the way.

Ursa Major has provided some useful charts so you should be able to find it. I always believe it's better to find it yourself rather than use a go-to system.

Mark

[Viv]

I was trying to find it last night as well (with the help of looking at the Stellarium screen).

But nope - another go tonight .............

[gliderpilot]

It's not too hard to find so long as the haze or lp is not too bad. We were star hopping from Corvus to M104 at the observing night (with Dr Neb) using pocket sky atlas as a reference.

Mark

[DrNeb]

My pocket sky atlas is in the post. money well spent.