I prefer to start observing the Andromeda Galaxy with my telescope starting in late July when it reaches an adequate apparent altitude for a comfortable viewing session by 11 pm. However, this includes the wee hours of the morning and times when it is not in an obvious location in the night sky. When to Look For itįrom mid-northern latitudes, M31 is visible for at least part of every night of the year. This is one of the many indescribably humbling moments that occur while observing and photographing the night sky. The bright core of the galaxy dominants the eyepiece, with little else to discern visually.ĭespite its lackluster visual appearance, the thought of seeing another Galaxy with its own solar systems is a mind-altering experience. The visual appearance of M31 through a large telescope has mixed reviews. It is one of my favorite binocular targets to observe, right up there with the Orion Nebula. The following star map should help.Īndromeda is so bright, that it is visible to the naked eye under moonless, dark conditions. You can also use Cassiopeia to find Andromeda, by using the star Shedir and nearly following the line it points to from the other stars in the constellation. I find that the easiest way to locate M31 is to triangulate the position using the brights stars Alpheratz in Pegasus, and Mirach in Andromeda. The Andromeda Galaxy is located in the constellation of the same name, but the Andromeda constellation is not easily recognizable for most observers. These 2 constellations are rather easy to find, even under moderately light-polluted skies. The galaxy sits between the constellations Pegasus (the “Great Square”) and Cassiopeia. Distance: 2.5 million light-years from EarthĪs far as galaxies go, Andromeda is one of the easiest ones to find in the night sky.Here are some of the primary facts about the Andromeda Galaxy: The Andromeda Galaxy is located between Cassiopeia and Pegasus (circled). ![]() Clearly, you won’t have to worry about this happening for a while, but it is fascinating to think of this scenario panning out over time. Scientists believe that Messier 31 is expected to collide with the Milky Way in approximately 4.5 billion years, and will merge to create a massive elliptical or lenticular galaxy. To the unaided eye, M31 appears as a smudge of light in the Andromeda constellation. Other than the Large and Small Magellanic clouds (visible from the southern hemisphere), the Andromeda Galaxy is the brightest galaxy you can see with your naked eye. Andromeda was originally thought to be a nebula and was even referred to as the “Great Andromeda Nebula” in 1899. The Andromeda Galaxyĭocumented observations of the Andromeda Galaxy go back as far as 964, when a Persian astronomer described this object in space as a “ nebulous smear“. In this article, I’ll cover the facts, observational history, and location of the Andromeda Galaxy. It may not look like an image taken with the Hubble Telescope, but it will most certainly impress your friends. When you look towards Andromeda, you are looking at the most distant object you can see with the naked eye, an object that’s a staggering 2.5 million light-years away.Īs far as deep-sky astrophotography targets go, M31 is actually one of the easier targets to capture early on. The best part is, you don’t need to download a NASA wallpaper to see it, you can actually see it for yourself in the night sky (from the northern hemisphere). The phrase I hear most often when people new to astronomy see Andromeda is “Is that real?”. ![]() I believe all nebulae and galaxies have the power to leave a lasting impression on an observer, but there is something about this galaxy that intensifies the vastness of space. The Andromeda Galaxy captured using a DSLR camera and telescope ( Watch video) All of the photos of Andromeda on this page were captured by me, using an inexpensive DSLR camera. Whether you’re interested in observing this galaxy with a pair of binoculars, or are ready to take a picture of it with your camera, M31 is one deep sky object that does not disappoint. ![]() Through astrophotography, we can reveal the beautiful faint details of the outer spiral arms, and rich star colors in the region. Over the years, I have photographed the Andromeda Galaxy many times using a variety of camera and telescope equipment. Cataloged as Messier 31 (M31), this deep sky object is observable for much of the year in the northern hemisphere, lying in the constellation Andromeda, next to Cassiopeia. It is the largest galaxy in the local group, which also contains the Triangulum Galaxy. The Andromeda Galaxy is a large spiral galaxy located about 2.5 million light-years away from Earth.
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