Hi everyone
For those seeking out an easy way to find the Sombrero Galaxy (M104), please take a look here at post no#36 (by pgc hunter) and no#37 (by eric).
An easy star hop explained and star hop map provided.
In fact, the whole thread in it's entirety is very helpful.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...light=sombrero
Learning to measure that 4 deg. using your hand really does help (unless you have a Telrad). Also- four deg. (re Sombrero) may not seem much but once you measure it in the sky with your hand, you will actually see that's it's quite some ways away.
Unfortunately, I'm not using my lap top at the moment to give you my bookmarked link, so just google "measuring the sky with your hand" for some results.
And just purely my opinion, not sure how others agree here....
For the first two years of observing, I stayed well clear of observing galaxies from my light polluted backyard. M104 was an exception.
I concentrated on polishing up my observing skills on nebulae in preparation for galaxy observing. Stephen O'Meara's book, "The Messier Objects" is a teaching book for observing- it focuses on pulling out detail from faint fuzzies- has been one of my most helpful guides during this period.
And trust me....
the more you observe, the more trained your eyes will be at picking out detail. Eventually, just about EVERYTHING is bright... yes, those really faint fuzzies you once thought were barely there in the eyepiece, are now glaring bright in your eyepiece- I kid you not! You will bump into them everywhere!
So after two years, I've now spent the last 6 months observing galaxies, and boy oh boy, I'm glad I waited.
Perhaps you don't need to wait as long as I did, but I think you get the message here- the more you observe, the better your skill at visual observing will be.
So I'm still relatively new to this- I can't wait to see what the next few years of observing will bring me, so far it's been the most fantastic journey of my life and I can only get better- yaaay!