Thanks Ivan
Ron spotted it easily from his dark site thru an 8" and he seems to think it should remain bright for a couple of weeks, so that sound like it's back in keeping with what he said; I got worried eeeek when it looked like it was flattening out re your prev. post. If I nab it in in my 10" the next few days at it's peak, I'll be very happy.
I don't expect to see any arms from my light polluted site, just the core as you said. Which is what's going to make my job harder I think.
I have push-to-go (Argo Narvis), but with faint/small objects that can be just on the threshold of visibility, I find a star chart is useful so I know where to look harder in that area. A map showing a good deep starfield also helps to determine/confirm it's the SN in the right area and not just a faint star. And often the object can be put just out of field of the ep by the Argo- so sometimes hunting is involved, esp. if it's tiny & faint.
Go on Ivan! Do it!
It should be quite a rewarding experience seeing this thru both means. Allow that eye to bathe in all those photos that took 56 million light years to hit your eyeball! It's a rush I tell you!
I've just learned that this galalxy is called "The Great Barred Spiral Galaxy" so that in itself is worthy of a look for me!