Viewing Session: December 9th, 2009
Location: Kekaha, HI
Time: 7:36PM HWT
Weather: Clear - Calm
76 temp
12" Dob
25mm eyepiece
This was a night to remember: A dark moonless night on a rural beach in Kauai. My focus was the Andromeda Galaxy in all her glory. I have already cataloged M31 in October, 2008. For an amateur observer, M31 is an easy object to target and enjoy. More evasive is its neighbors M32 and M110. Using a 12” Dob with a 25mm eyepiece, M32 was small but noticeable within the haze of M31. Almost a pinpoint of light, M32 a dwarf elliptical galaxy and seen at 9.2 magnitude. Normally difficult to find in light polluted skies, M32 was easily targeted in Kauai. Also found was M110 another dwarf elliptical galaxy and also a satellite of Andromeda. M110 has a similar magnitude like M32 but sits off on the periphery of M31 and has been elusive up until this dark night. M110 is visually much larger than M32 but not as brilliant – thus why the two objects have similar magnitudes. Aloha Kauai and Mahalo until next time.
Showing posts with label M31. Show all posts
Showing posts with label M31. Show all posts
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sunday, November 2, 2008
M31 - Andromeda Galaxy
Date: 10/30/08
Time: 8:00pm-10:15pm CST
Weather: Clear with 15-20mph winds - Temp: 47 degrees (F)
Location: Port Barrington, IL
In the Constellation Andromeda, I enjoyed the vastness of M31 (Andromeda Galaxy), a spiral galaxy that looked like a glowing fuzzy oval sphere. I used a 5mm eyepiece and found that it was too much magnification and found better luck with a 10mm eyepiece. I was unable to find M110 or M32 and will attempt again on a darker night. M31 is an amazing 2.2 million light years away and is comprised of as many as 160 million stars.
I did find a fuzzy globular image within the viewfinder that was very close in relation to M31. My first conclusion was that it was M110 but it appeared too remote from M31. My next assumption was that it might be M33 yet it seemed closer than what is illustrated on my star maps. I will attempt another look to confirm or deny these notes.
I enjoyed the M103 Open Cluster in Cassiopeia about 8000 light years away and M15 (Pegasus Cluster), a Globular Cluster found between the constellations of Pegasus and Equuleus. I viewed M57, the Ringed Nebula found in Lyra near the Star of Vega. M57 is about 4100 light years away from Earth. I could just make out the inner dark center of the ring. All of these objects were viewed first using a 25mm eyepiece and then upgrading to a 10mm eyepiece. In many cases zooming in with the 5mm eyepiece was too much magnification and clearly brightness was lost when viewing the objects.
I got the full view of M45, the Pleiades Star Cluster using a 40mm eyepiece. I clearly made out 6 bright stars and two semi bright stars which were clearly the focal point of this impressive cluster. M45 is about 400 light years away.
Time: 8:00pm-10:15pm CST
Weather: Clear with 15-20mph winds - Temp: 47 degrees (F)
Location: Port Barrington, IL
In the Constellation Andromeda, I enjoyed the vastness of M31 (Andromeda Galaxy), a spiral galaxy that looked like a glowing fuzzy oval sphere. I used a 5mm eyepiece and found that it was too much magnification and found better luck with a 10mm eyepiece. I was unable to find M110 or M32 and will attempt again on a darker night. M31 is an amazing 2.2 million light years away and is comprised of as many as 160 million stars.
I did find a fuzzy globular image within the viewfinder that was very close in relation to M31. My first conclusion was that it was M110 but it appeared too remote from M31. My next assumption was that it might be M33 yet it seemed closer than what is illustrated on my star maps. I will attempt another look to confirm or deny these notes.
I enjoyed the M103 Open Cluster in Cassiopeia about 8000 light years away and M15 (Pegasus Cluster), a Globular Cluster found between the constellations of Pegasus and Equuleus. I viewed M57, the Ringed Nebula found in Lyra near the Star of Vega. M57 is about 4100 light years away from Earth. I could just make out the inner dark center of the ring. All of these objects were viewed first using a 25mm eyepiece and then upgrading to a 10mm eyepiece. In many cases zooming in with the 5mm eyepiece was too much magnification and clearly brightness was lost when viewing the objects.
I got the full view of M45, the Pleiades Star Cluster using a 40mm eyepiece. I clearly made out 6 bright stars and two semi bright stars which were clearly the focal point of this impressive cluster. M45 is about 400 light years away.
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