Tips for viewing Andromeda

[darkage (Gareth)]

For a few years I've been casually checking stellarium and when I see Andromeda up on the map I go out and have a look for it with the good old binoculars. (from memory I think around November thru to summer) Mind you this is in the suburbs of Melbourne under Bortle 6 skies. Havent been able to find it yet, pretty sure I know the rough location by referencing the nearby stars & rough finger measurements.

I know its low down on the horizon. Is it at all possible to view from my current location in the outer suburbs of Melbourne or a dark sky site an absolute must for visual ?

Inlaws house in the Country side in China (Bortle 3) have it very super high in the sky at an excellent viewing position but problem with country side in China is every house has a wood fire kitchen/heating so would be lucky to actually get one or 2 clear nights on a 2 to 3 week visit with all the air pollution. Mind you havent been there for a few years due to covid.

[Tinderboxsky (Steve)]

Yes, you "should" be able to view Andromeda from suburban Melbourne. I can recall old posts by people in Melbourne observing Andromeda. From my experience, the overall light and atmospheric pollution will be the limiting factors.
As a visitor to Melbourne, I have seen Andromeda through binoculars from Coburb. Of course, looking north from Coburb, one is avoiding the majority of the light and atmospheric pollution of greater Melbourne. If you were closer in, or to the south of the CBD it may well be impossible.
I have been a regular, annual observer of Andromeda from home, just south of Hobart. Down here, Andromeda only rises to a shade over 5 degrees when culminating (crossing the Meridian). So, an even more difficult challenge. Yes, November is the most convenient month for an evening try when Andromeda is culminating.
Here is an earlier thread that I started to record these observations. There were a couple of Victorian observers who contributed to this thread that may give you some ideas.

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/...ad.php?t=99242


Good luck.

Originally Posted by darkage

For a few years I've been casually checking stellarium and when I see Andromeda up on the map I go out and have a look for it with the good old binoculars. (from memory I think around November thru to summer) Mind you this is in the suburbs of Melbourne under Bortle 6 skies. Havent been able to find it yet, pretty sure I know the rough location by referencing the nearby stars & rough finger measurements.

I know its low down on the horizon. Is it at all possible to view from my current location in the outer suburbs of Melbourne or a dark sky site an absolute must for visual ?

Inlaws house in the Country side in China (Bortle 3) have it very super high in the sky at an excellent viewing position but problem with country side in China is every house has a wood fire kitchen/heating so would be lucky to actually get one or 2 clear nights on a 2 to 3 week visit with all the air pollution. Mind you havent been there for a few years due to covid.

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

I live in southern NSW 4 degrees north of you. It reaches 14 degrees at transit from here so it would reach 10 degrees from Melbourne and 11 degrees if you drive 100km north of Melbourne into darker skies. I can photograph and observe it pretty easily.


I do have dark northern skies and I spotted the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51, a few weeks ago. M51 reaches a maximum 8.5 degree altitude, lower than Andromeda from Melbourne and fainter. Andromeda is mag 3.5 the Whirlpool is Mag 8.5 but much smaller so the difference in surface brightness is not as great as the integrated magnitude difference might suggest. I used a large reflector but the seeing was awful so you can imagine what it was like near the horizon.

From the city, you might see the core but not the outer arms. It's pretty good even in binoculars. However, if you want to see much more than the core, I'd suggest you need to get out of the city, 100km north should be plenty, put you into much darker skies and push Andromeda almost an extra degree higher.

Joe

[darkage (Gareth)]

Must be light pollution getting in the way. have been looking roughly 10 degrees above horizon and below with a expectation of a faint fuzzy patch some where there. Parents have a holiday house by the sea 140km south so thats my dark site. might try at a north facing beach there even though it will be a tiny bit lower.

[glend (Glen)]

Move to Qld. It's just far too low where you are, too get reasonable resolution that is not wobbling all over the place. Alternative, go to Qld Astrofest and see it there.

[darkage (Gareth)]

Originally Posted by glend

Move to Qld. It's just far too low where you are, too get reasonable resolution that is not wobbling all over the place. Alternative, go to Qld Astrofest and see it there.

Good point. Actually makes me think if I should get a travel eq mount and small ED refractor to get toes wet in astrophotography while having a travel set that I can easily take to places.

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

Originally Posted by darkage

Must be light pollution getting in the way. have been looking roughly 10 degrees above horizon and below with a expectation of a faint fuzzy patch some where there. Parents have a holiday house by the sea 140km south so thats my dark site. might try at a north facing beach there even though it will be a tiny bit lower.

I thought you were asking the question hypothetically but it sounds like you’re looking for it now? You need to look for it at transit which is just before dawn at present. September to November is the best time. From city or south of Melbourne you will probably be seeing a star like nucleus.
Joe