Have you ever seen the andromeda galaxy?

Question

I have really wanted to see this galaxy, but I have trouble finding. I have a 114 mm reflector, and a 15 x 70 binocular. Is it possible to view it with these? I have stellarium downloaded already on my computer (thanks).

Or is there another galaxy I can look at (northern hemisphere)?

Answer 1

Use your software or this sky chart

http://skychart.skytonight.com/observing/skychart/

to star-hop to Andromeda. From where I am in the Southern hemisphere, I start from one of the corner stars of the "Great Square" of Pegasus. From where you are, there may be other ways.

They're big binoculars! You'll have to keep them steady. Their field of view should be OK, though.

Answer 2

Wow, the lack of expertise and illiteracy burns... definite, NOW, we can not even flee our international, much less our photograph voltaic equipment or galaxy. yet, we've 3 BILLION years earlier the achievable collision happens: -The Andromeda–Milky way collision is a envisioned galaxy collision that ought to probably take place in approximately 3 to 5 billion years' time between the two best galaxies contained in the interior of reach crew—the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky way, which incorporates Earth.[one million][2]- Odds are that we are going to be long extinct nicely earlier then. Oh, and learn how to write down coherent English, too.

Answer 3

Yeah, I saw it just last night. You should be able to see it fine with either the telescope or the binoculars. It's a little tough to find with star hopping, though. Just keep trying, and you should find it pretty soon.

You might be having trouble because you're looking for something huge. What you'll mostly see (especially when you first spot it) is just the core. It will look like a fuzzy star in your reflector's finder.

So try it again tonight and see what you can come up with. Good luck with it.

Answer 4

I have seen it with naked eyes. It is about as large as the full moon, but you really need a VERY dark night. If you are having problems finding it with your reflector, it might be because there is too much stray light. Wait for a clear, moonless night and go somewhere dark in the countryside, then try again. Use the lowest possible magnification. You don't need to make this object any larger than it is, all you need is the light gathering from your mirror to see it more clearly. If I have seen it with my naked eyes (but just barely!), it should be pretty easy to see with a 114 mm reflector.

And don't despair, it is exactly where Stellarium says it should be.

Good luck!

Answer 5

It is possible to view it with those instruments, but don't expect to see anything like what you see in photographs. One of the biggest disappointments for new astronomers is that galaxies look like fuzzy blobs through a telescope. The fantastic detailed images published in magazines are captured with long exposures using cameras. You can certainly take such pictures yourself with the right equipment (you need a motor to drive your telescope so it tracks the object during the exposure time, and a mount to atach a camera to the telescope, but both of those are easy enough to get), but you will never ever see anything like that with your own eyes.

Answer 6

Yes, I have seen Andromeda many times thorugh binoculars and scopes that size. It is easy to see even in a 7x50 pair of binocs.

Harder to see is M33 in triangulum, but it is possible at a dark site. Also try any of the galaxies in Leo or Virgo: the Virgo cluster. The black-eye galaxy is also good in Coma Berenices. In fact, you can see most of the list of Messier objects with your equipment.