Conditions:
Rather cool for this time of year.
Light pollution minimal as 10km from the edge of town...twilight present as M31 boarding just above or around the 30 degree mark and M33 about sitting around 40-45 degrees.
It's been a while since I've been observing and had to rely on my iPhone Star Map program...I first had to make out the outlines of the constellation under Jupiter and follow my way down it through Andromeda which I really had no idea about...I seem to work better by zooming in once identifying the bright stars of the PICTURED constellations and match up the triangular pattern of stars within the field, hopping from one pattern to the other...look at map, then binos, back to map then finally binos, only to move on when I confirm a match and so on...in this way...I actually found M33 without to much trouble at all.
The first thing I thought about M33 other than it was a smudge...was how big it is...it seemed to take up a large portion...all be it to one side within the bent recutangular outline I pictured it to be within. Although dim, I was very pleased with the resulting shape and shear size of the galaxy...after all I was only using 15X70 binos and found it quite easily by star hopping...I was very pleased I had made the effort to drive out and have a look.
M31...WOW...best I have seen it...on par with my 12" dob...perhaps its been to long since I have sold it but I was extremely please with how bright and the resulting core image was very evident to say the least.
Because I only have my 15X70 binoculars left...it seems I have adopted a whole new level of enjoyment and still have many challenges ahead.
I look forward to giving more reports as I take on the challenges of binocular astronomy
