Trying to find Andromeda

Hi Lads,
I didn't want to have to post this but I'm at a complete loss. I've been able to find my way around the night sky very well so far but for the life of me I can't figure out where good oul M31 is.

Maybe I have found it but just don't realise that's what I'm looking at but tbh I don't think so, when I go to where I think it is I just see three stars without any sort of cloud around them. I expect to see something like M42 i.e. a star with a bit of fuzz. How much of my viewing area should it take up?

I've a Celestron 6" Reflector with 10/20/25 mm lenses so am confident that my scope is up to it.

Any ideas?

Hi Turlock

Turlock

M31 is quite a big thing and when you find it you will know it as a fuzzy blob but with not a lot of detail. It is visable with the naked eye from even moderately light poluted skies. Best to find it from Andromada second star out from the square of Pegasus and then two stars up and then up once more and to the right. It should pop out easily. Check it out in a good star atlas or even a good astronomy magazine so you know the dril before you venture out.

Try and find it in binoculors first, and then if your scope has a viewfinder try to find it in that as that will have a larger field of view. Then centre it in the scope.


Happy hunting

Think of it as visiting a brand new city Turloch (Maybe Ulan Bator)and you haven't a clue where to turn.

You need a proper tour guide.

Try Binocular Highlights by Gary Seronik from Sky and Telescope.
Whatever you do dont buy advanced stuff right now like the Millennium Sky Atlas.

Too many stars!!


Peter.

This week I've been downloaded "Stellarium" www.stellarium.org (which is free!)

OK, its been cloudy but this software is amazing! At first the software though I was in Paris (I wish!) but after a quick Google for my latitude & longtitude I was set.

Search for M31 in Stellarium and up she pops! You have the option of showing constellations as well. As a rough guide its due West at around 19:30 tonight.


link fixed

Turlock,

I have fairly dark skies and even though I know the location of M31 if I look for it directly I find it hard to locate. If you use the averted vision method it really helps to pin point it. When you know where it should be look slightly to the left or right and pick out the fuzzy patch in the direction of M31. Our eyes are more sensitive to low light in peripheral vision. This method also works with locating comets and the fainter clusters.

Kieran

Hi Turlock,
get your hands on that Stellarium software, if you can. Mind you, it is about 30MB in size, and MIGHT be a little tricky to use at first, but it is great for producing realistic (even if somewhat) simple views of the sky.

An alternative, if you do not have a star atlas at hand, is to have a look at www.heavens-above.com (free registration to use), and from the menu at left, click on "Whole Sky Chart" and look for Andromeda.

Even after that, a search on many online sources will give you finder chart images to print off.

Happy Hunting!

Seanie.