The following are objects in the constellation Andromeda for which I have logged some of my observations over the years. It might be interesting for you to compare to your own observations. These aren't necessarily the "best" or most popular objects to view, although most of those are included if I logged them, but some are targets of opportunity that were near other objects I was viewing, challenge objects, or just whatever I felt like viewing at the time based on my mood, instrument, and sky conditions. They are grouped here by type (galaxies by elliptical, spiral, etc.), in alpha-numeric order.
The sky conditions at the various sites vary considerably and have changed over the years. Therefore, I've only provided a very basic description. I don't generally note sky conditions in any systematic way, although for each session I will often mention what the seeing is on the Pickering Scale (1-10), transparency, and if clouds were hindering the observations, etc. These are general impressions, not scientific observations and aren't included in most observations.
The data on individual objects comes from Sky Safari 6 Pro, which in turn comes from various catalogs and sources. It contains some errors and discrepancies, as is usual for any astronomical dataset. I take responsibility for any errors and inconsistencies in my own observations (there are many!).
I may update the post with additional observations of the same or additional objects, as I have many observing recordings from before "speech to text" that I still haven't transcribed and put into my database. I absolutely hate transcribing.
Please feel free to share your own observations of any of these objects in the comments.
See a listing of observing sites, with approximate darkness indicated, and details on the instruments used at the end of this post.
36 ANDROMEDAE
36 And, HR 258, HD 5286, SAO 74359, BD +22 146, HIP 4288, STF 73, ADS 755
Type: Double Star
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 5.5
Mag2: 6.54
Separation ("): 1.2
Notes:
Nov. 19-20, 2023, Sterling, VA
(4.5 inch) This one has a 5.5 mag primary and a 6.5 mag secondary. The separation is only 1.2 arc seconds, and that goes down to less than an arc second at certain times, but I believe Sky Safari is showing the current separation. In this seeing I doubt if I'll be able to split it but I'll give it a shot. Yes, a clean split when it steadies out in 200x. Very, very close though, but it's a definite split and a very good one for this telescope with decent seeing. Both components look white to me although they are listed as yellow.
56 ANDROMEDAE
56 And, HR 557, HD 11749, SAO 55107, BD +36 355, HIP 9021, STFA 4, ADS 1534
Type: Double Star
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 5.69
Mag2: 6.07
Separation ("): 202.5
Notes:
Aug. 21-22, 2004 (Sat. night), Savage Farm, west of Leesburg, VA
(10-inch) A wide double. The primary is also double, with an 11th mag companion in 178x. The secondary is supposed to be a tighter double, but can't split it. But this scope never seems to do well on doubles anyway.
Nov. 19-20, 2023, Sterling, VA
(4.5 inch) This is an optical double only. This is really more of a binocular double but it's pretty faint. I can see it in my 6x30 finder and it really doesn't even look like a double in that, just looks like a little triangle with a third star. Not of particular interest.
GAMMA ANDROMEDAE (ALMACH)
Almach, Gamma And, 57 And, HR 603, HD 12533, SAO 37734, BD +41 395, HIP 9640, STF 205
Type: Double Star
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 2.17
Mag2: 5.02
Separation ("): 9.4
Notes:
Sep. 19-20, 1993, Ponderosa Park, Kissimmee, FL
(4.5-inch) Made an interesting comparison of Gamma Andromedae and Albireo. Albireo's stars are about twice as far apart, but they are oriented in almost the same direction and are almost identical in colors to the other pair.
Nov. 19-20, 2023, Sterling, VA
(4.5 inch) Just such a nice orange and blue contrast. The secondary does morph into an Airy disk once in awhile but the primary is just kind of all over the place. Really not a great night for doubles.
HD 223718 (STF 3042)
Type: Double Star
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 7.59
Mag2: 7.75
Separation ("): 5.8
Notes:
Sep. 15, 2026 (Tue. night), Sterling, VA
(102mm Mak) White headlights, similar magnitude.
HR 282/283 (STF 79)
Type: Double Star
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 6.07
Mag2: 6.77
Separation ("): 7.9
Notes:
Nov. 19-20, 2023, Sterling, VA
(4.5 inch) 6.1 and 6.8 magnitude with a 7.9 arc second separation. That's a pretty nice one although there's nothing really colorful about it. Both components look white to me. Webb Society says pale blue.
HR 9074 (STF 3050)
Type: Double Star
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 6.48
Mag2: 6.72
Separation ("): 2.5
Notes:
Sep. 15, 2026 (Tue. night), Sterling, VA
(102mm Mak) Tight pair of white yellow stars of nearly the same mag.
M110
M110, NGC 205, UGC 426, PGC 2429, MCG 7-2-14, CGCG 535-14, IRAS 00376+4124, 2MASS 00402207+4141070
Type: Galaxy, Elliptical
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 8.09
Notes:
Aug. 5-6, 1994 (Fri. night) Prince of Peace Church, Freedom, PA
(4.5-inch) More diffuse and larger than M32 with no visible nuclear condensation. Not quite as bright. Possibly elongated a little N-S. 13th mag star on NW edge.
Oct. 21-22, 2006, The Mountain Institute, Spruce Knob, WV
(10-inch) I must say, that's the most extension I've seen to the arms of NCG 205 (M110)- the more diffuse satellite galaxy. Looks almost like M33 only a little more elongated and brighter.
M32
M32, NGC 221, UGC 452, PGC 2555, MCG 7-2-15, CGCG 535-16, Arp 168, IRAS 00399+4035
Type: Galaxy, Elliptical
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 7.92
Notes:
Oct. 11-12, 1993, Ponderosa Park, Kissimmee, FL
(4.5-inch) Quite bright with a very well-condensed nucleus.
Aug. 5-6, 1994 (Fri. night) Prince of Peace Church, Freedom, PA
(4.5-inch) Showing a very starlike nucleus surrounded by a diffuse glow.
NGC 404 (MIRACH'S GHOST)
NGC 404, Mirach's Ghost, UGC 718, PGC 4126, MCG 6-3-18, CGCG 520-20, IRAS 01066+3527, 2MASS 01092707+3543047
Type: Galaxy, Elliptical
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 10.31
Notes:
Dec. 23-24, 2006, Savage Farm west of Leesburg, VA
(10-inch) I zoomed out so far I didn't realize there's a galaxy right there by Beta Andromedae- NGC 404 (11.23 mag). Shows up nicely in 62x. Beta's a nice yellow-white star. With 114x I can get it out of the field a little bit and get a better view of the galaxy. It's round, brightens towards the middle pretty rapidly, stellar core. Much better to use higher power. With 178x I can get it in the center with Beta still out of the field. Not much more to see- just a round galaxy, stellar core. Maybe a blob or something just to the ENE of the core, very close in, or just a slightly brighter section right in there.
Oct. 30, 2024, Arizona Sky Village, Portal, AZ
(6-inch) Nice, especially if you put Mirach just outside the field of view. We were looking at it in 7mm in the zoom and quite nice; pretty well condensed. Paul says he can even see it from Bellevue.
NGC 708 (Part of a small cluster of galaxies known as THE FATH)
NGC 708, The Fath, UGC 1348, PGC 6962, MCG 6-5-31, CGCG 522-39, Abell 262, 2MASS 01524648+3609065
Type: Galaxy, Elliptical
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 12.71
Notes:
Aug. 21-22, 2004 (Sat. night), Savage Farm, west of Leesburg, VA
(10-inch) I'm closing in on The Fath. I can see some of the galaxies already in 62x- the mottled fuzziness of a bunch of galaxies. I can start to differentiate some of the galaxies in 114x, but can't really nail their positions well. In 178x I can separate them better. NGC 708 must be the one on the NE end of a chain of three galaxies. There's another one to the NW which forms a right angle with NGC 708. 708 is the brightest at 13.67 mag. It's also the largest. The one to the NW is NGC 703 (14. 24 mag). The two forming a chain to the SW of NGC 708 are, in order southwestward, NGC 705 (14.63 mag) and NGC 704 (14.10 mag). There's supposed to be a CGCG galaxy a little further down, but at 15.54 mag, I'm not picking it up. I can pick up NGC 709, though, at 15.21 mag. It's just a little round patch that I can't hold in my vision constantly. I'm just getting the very faintest glimmers of that galaxy, CGCG 522-33 (15.54 mag). There's supposed to be a star right next to it, so that may be a combination of the two together that I'm seeing. NGC 705 is supposed to be an edge-on, but I just can't see more than the core of it. 708 and 704 are oval or round. I can also see NGC 710 (14.06 mag), which appears to be the largest- a slightly oval, diffuse spot with low surface brightness. I lost the field when I let it drift too far.
Oct. 21-22, 2006, The Mountain Institute, Spruce Knob, WV
(10-inch) I found the field in 62x. I can see some of the galaxies. They're not differentiated in this power, but there's a mottled blob there about 5 arcminutes in diameter. Yes, I can see the individual galaxies in there in this power. In 114x it's easier to separate the galaxies- about half dozen or so. I can pretty much figure out which one is NGC 708, being the brightest and largest one. I think that's it. I have to set up my program to show galaxies up to 16th mag. Normally I have the filter set at 14.5 mag. NGC 708 is 13.67 mag, NGC 705 is 14.63 mag, NGC 704 is 14.10, NGC 703 is 14.24 mag, NGC 709 is 15.21 mag, and then there's CGCG 522-44 at mag 15.75 and up to the SE is NGC 710 at 14.06 mag and a few other ones- NGC 700 at 15.37 mag.
NGC 708 is the largest and brightest at 13.67 mag. It's pretty easy. Then NW of that one is another pretty easy pickup, about half the size- NGC 703 (14.24 mag). In a line with 708 is NGC 705 (14.63 mag). It's supposed to be elongated, but I really can't pick that out too well as far as the elongation goes. The third galaxy down the line- NGC 704- is brighter at 14.10 mag. CGCG 522-33 at 15.54 mag is further down the line, but I think I'm going to have to use my higher power for that one. NGC 710 at 14.06 mag is a little further to the SSE all by itself. I get the impression of a N-S elongation to it. In 114x I can definitely pick up CGCG 522-30 (15.16 mag). It seems to have a pretty bright core to it, comparatively speaking of course, as it's extremely dim. I can just make out NGC 700 (15.37 mag). It's got a N-S elongation. I can just get a few glimpses of MCG 6-5-24 (15.36 mag). It's a rather larger, roundish glow. I'm going to have to go for these in 178x, but I'm just worried about losing the field when I shift. I can't quite pull out MCG6-5-21 (15.60 mag) in 114x. I can however pull out UGC 1319 (14.49 mag). Looks like it has a NW-SE elongation, kind of diffuse. No real detail on any of these. Now I'm looking at UGC 1319 at 178x and I'm going to work my way back to the main cluster in this power. Trying for MCG 6-5-21 again. The wind is really picking up and that's making it more difficult to use the higher power.
Even behind the windscreen it's jostling the scope a little bit. Even in 178x I can't pull out MCG 6-5-21, so I guess my limit tonight with this scope is about 15.4 or 15.5 mag. That one's about 15.6 mag and that's a little outside my limit. I can pull out MCG 6-5-24 but it's a small little round thing. In the first go-round it was difficult to see it. I'm going back to the ones I saw in 114x, trying to see them in 178x. I can pick up NGC 700 in 178x. In fact, I can see a little bit of elongation to it and a little star on the N tip of it. That star is GSC 2319 773 (15.25 mag).
Okay, now I'm going back to the Fath itself. It's a little confusing. That line from NGC 708 goes to NGC 705, which is a little bit E-W, a little star in line, then NGC 704. I thought I got a whisper of CGCG 522-33 at 15.54 mag, but I'm not sure. Yeah, I can just get a whisper of it in 178x. So 15.54 mag is about my limit tonight. I can just pick up NGC 709 (15.21 mag) to the N, very small, almost stellar. After those really faint ones, NGC 714 at 14.03 mag is pretty easy. I can actually see an ESE-WNW elongation with a brighter condensed, not quite stellar core. A little further E of there is NGC 717 (14.80 mag), roughly in the same orientation as 714. That one's a little more diffuse, but it seems like there's a little stellar nucleus buried in there somewhere. I could go on and on with the galaxies in this area, but that's enough for this really faint stuff.
M31 (THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY)
M31, Andromeda Galaxy, NGC 224, UGC 454, PGC 2557, MCG 7-2-16, CGCG 535-17, 2MASS 00424433+4116074
Type: Galaxy, Spiral
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 3.28
Notes:
Oct. 11-12, 1993, Ponderosa Park, Kissimmee, FL
(4.5-inch) Almost at the zenith. Saw a hint of the main dark lane.
July 11-12, 1994 (Mon. night) Prince of Peace Church, Freedom, PA
(4.5-inch) In 180x there is an 11.5-12 mag star about 4' to the WSW of the nucleus.
Aug. 5-6, 1994 (Fri. night) Prince of Peace Church, Freedom, PA
(4.5-inch) Looking great in my scope at 100x. Brightest I can remember seeing it. The NW side of it seems darker than the SE side. Maybe the glow trails off slower on one side, or maybe there's more obscuring dust on the NW side? A star to the W of the nucleus, 3 or 4 arcminutes, 12.7 mag or so.
Aug. 6-7, 1994 (Sat. night), Prince of Peace Church, Freedom, PA
(BVAC 10-inch) Nice in the 32mm. The SW side shows two dark dust lanes well and one extends through the field on both sides of the nucleus, although more pronounced on the S end. Very compact nucleus. Companion galaxy to the SE fits in the same field. The other one will fit also, but not all three together. The W companion is elongated NW to SE and the difference that dust obscuration at that angle makes is apparent when comparing it to the brighter more starlike nucleus of the other, more face-on companion. As in my scope, it appears that the space W of M31 is darker than the space E of the galaxy, which figures, since the two dust lanes are on the darker, therefore dustier side.
Oct. 23-24, 2003, Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park
(4.5-inch) Can't make out the dust lanes tonight, and I still think I'm getting some fogging of the eyepieces from the cold and the dew or whatever.
Nov. 20-21, 2003 (Thu. night), Sky Meadows State Park, VA
(4.5-inch) I decided to do the dust lane test on M31 before it got too low, and could see both lanes pop into view now and then. It's like they're not even there, but in averted vision you definitely know you saw it.
Aug. 6-7, 2004 (Friday night), Crockett Park near Manassas, VA
(10-inch) It just isn't much in this sky. It was better in the 4.5-inch from Skyline Drive, where it's darker. But the Moon is also washing the sky out a bit now.
Aug. 7-8, 2004 (Sat. night), Savage Farm, west of Leesburg, VA
(10-inch) Even though it's down low, I took a look at M31. Significantly better view than from Crockett. I can make out one of the dust lanes in 124x and a hint of the second.
Aug. 21-22, 2004 (Sat. night), Savage Farm, west of Leesburg, VA
(10-inch) It's up nice and high now. Best view I've had of it in this scope so far. It almost fits in 39x. I can see both dark lanes, easier than I could ever see them in the 4.5, even from darker sites, and M110 is very large. I can see clumpiness in the dark lanes on the SW side of M31 and the nebulosity on that one arm is plainly visible in 39x. All three galaxies fit easily in the FOV, though M31 actually seems to extend beyond the field a little. The dark lanes are beautiful in 62x. There's also some clumping in them. There's a clump due west of the nucleus that thins out then gets bigger again. Directly below or NW of the nucleus, extending out even to the NNW, then that's the end of the dark lane. I can trace the inner dark lane due N, actually beyond due N. Almost looks like there are some dark lanes or some striation detail beyond the nucleus. The nebulosity is triangular or lambda shaped with the long point to the south. Ooh- a meteor right through the field. I can see clumping in the second dark band, which seems blacker than the inner one. In 114x I can see all those features and detail in the dark bands. Some mottling in the nebula cloud. I don't see anything of the globulars, but I'd need a good chart to look for them. The galaxy is almost directly overhead now.
Sep. 4 (Sat. night), Savage Farm, west of Leesburg, VA
(10-inch) I can pick up one dust lane in 62x, and now the second one dimly.
Sep. 18-19, 2004 (Sat. night), Crockett Park near Manassas, VA
(10-inch) I can see the two dust lanes immediately in 62x.
Oct. 21-22, 2006, The Mountain Institute, Spruce Knob, WV
(20-inch) I just looked in Paul H's 20-inch- a beautiful view of M31. The two dark lanes are visible right away. The outer lane is almost as dark as the inner lane. We also checked out that big nebulosity down the SW arm (NGC 206). It shows up very large and easy to see. The scope is very easy to push around- really beautiful.
(10-inch) I see why the two dark lanes jumped out so much in Paul's 20-inch. They jump right out even in my scope. That's the easiest I've ever seen the second lane. It's right there in your face. Beautiful view of them. Wow, that's just incredible. And also that nebulosity down the southern arm is much larger than I usually see it and much easier to pick out. I must say, that's the most extension I've seen to the arms of NCG 205 (M110)- the more diffuse satellite galaxy. Looks almost like M33 only a little more elongated and brighter.
On M31, I can trace the inner lane well across to the other side of the nucleus more than halfway between the nucleus and the brighter star- about 30 arcminutes. Actually I can trace the second lane even further out on that side. There's kind of a blob there that sticks out even a little further and in fact I can trace it past that bright star-that's incredible. It looks to me like that outer dark lane has a blob just below that star out on NE arm, the opposite side from where I usually see the lanes. That star I was referring to is SAO 36609 (9 mag). I can actually see the lanes going further to the NE from there, particularly the outer of the two lanes. On the SW side I can trace both lanes out at least to M32 and a little beyond there, particularly the outer lane, which is a little more prominent on the ends. There's a little flattened triangle of stars pointing toward the nebulosity.
Jan. 20-21, 2007, Great Meadow, SW of The Plains, VA
(10-inch) I could just barely make out the dust lane. It was nice to be able to zoom in to just the right power to get the best view of the dust lane.
July 13-14, 2007 (Fri. night), The Mountain Institute, Spruce Knob, WV
(10-inch) The two dust lanes are immediately visible, even with quite a bit of twilight at this point. I can trace the inner dark lane all the way out to M32, maybe a little beyond a perpendicular line drawn down from it. The nebulous patch way out past there is also easy to make out.
Oct. 13-14, 2007 (Sat. night), The Mountain Institute, Spruce Knob, WV
(18-inch) Also looked at M31 in Mike's 18-inch Obsession. The two dust lanes stood out very well, and the HII region was big and bright.
August 12-13, 2007, Big Meadows, Shenandoah Nat. Park, VA
(10-inch) I was going to go for some faint stuff, but I decided instead I had to go for M31. Two dark lanes showing up really nicely. Both extending past the nucleus a fair amount and in the other direction quite a bit past M32. I can trace it almost as far as that star outboard from M32. Also can see the nebulosity further out and some mottling way out on the arm.
Sep. 18-19, 2009, Green Ridge State Forest, MD
(10-inch) I’ve plotted some of the larger globulars in M31, maybe I’ll try for some of those. Ooo! Nice meteor right through the corner of the Square of Pegasus. Nice view of M31, both dark lanes are immediately visible and quite extended. Very nice seeing both lanes at the same time.
I can spot globular G78 in M31. It’s a bit difficult but I can pick it out with averted vision. I can tell it’s fuzzy and not a star. No, maybe it does look kind of stellar. Very faint, though. I’d say it’s 13 or 13.5 mag maybe. It’s listed as 14.2. I’m going to see if I can pick up G64. I can just pick it up occasionally in 220-250x or so. I think that one’s about the limit.
Looking next for G280, which I got pretty easily. It’s in kind of a blank area. It’s inside a triangle of stars with two toward the SE. This one’s also listed at 14.2 mag.
I could not pull out G279.
G289 is listed on Rob Gendler’s image, which is what I’m using, but there’s a GSC star plotted in that position, although that’s probably it and just listed as a star in GSC- it happens. It’s quite bright so maybe Gendler doesn’t have it plotted correctly. Maybe it’s right near that star because the “star” appears much brighter than the other globulars at about 12.5 - 12.8 mag, and therefore must be a star.
I also can’t quite pull out G286.
G295 is again plotted where there’s a bright star.
I couldn’t quite see C306 at first, using the barlow, which is an open cluster in M31. But when I removed the barlow I could just get a glimpse of it in the right power [which I didn’t record]. Just enough contrast with the background to glimpse it. It really helps to have the zoom eyepiece. Just the very slightest coagulation in averted vision.
Now I’m moving over to G1, which is the one way out to the SE. G1 is easy in my lowest power. Shows up very well. It forms a triangle with two stars to the NE. The start to the NNE is a double when I zoom in on it, aligned to point toward G1. I can tell G1 is not as pointlike as the two stars. Just slightly fuzzier. I had a fairly bright meteor go right through the field- yikes! G1 is slightly dimmer than the star next to it, but it provides a nice comparison. In 156x, it look like there may be something on the southern edge of G1, maybe a very faint star. The image makes it look like a triple star. I can see the two stars in the Hubble image. Makes me realize how good the Hubble image is! I can’t distinctly split those two stars from the globluar. It just looks fuzzy and that maybe makes the fuzziness more pronounced from the other two brighter stars nearby.
I was also able to see G76. There are two stars of about the same brightness right there, which form a line and I have to zoom in to separate them from the globular. The one on the end is not it, the globular is the one just inside of hat. G76 is slightly offset to the NE from the line formed by those two stars, toward a brighter star off to the side.
I tried for C107 but I couldn’t quite confirm it. I though I got glimpses of it but not enough to confirm.
The last globular I’ll try for is G73, which is actually in M110. Not as bright as some of the others.
Aug. 18-19, 2023, Sky Meadows State Park, VA
(10-inch) High enough out of the eastern glow to see pretty well. Wanted to see what I could make of the dark lanes, and actually without too much strain I can see the two main dark lanes, though not very well. Then I used the 2-inch 39x eyepiece and that's a really nice view. I can fit all three of the galaxies, M31, M110, and M32 in the same eye piece field of view with room to spare. Really cool.
Sep. 10-11, 2024, Shenandoah River State Park, VA
(6-inch) In 75x I can just make out the two dark lanes, which kind of surprises me. M110 is quite nice on its own. The elongation to it is quite evident. NGC 206 was also visible as a very slightly brighter patch.
NGC 891
NGC 891, C 23, UGC 1831, PGC 9031, MCG 7-5-46, CGCG 538-52, IRAS 02195+4209, IRAS 02193+4207
Type: Galaxy, Spiral
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 9.8
Notes:
Oct. 31 - Nov. 1, 1991, Ponderosa Park, Kissimmee, FL
(4.5-inch) Located area near NGC 891 (galaxy in Andromeda), could not see the galaxy though. Lost in sky glow, it's 12th mag. This was prep for locating 702 Alauda in a few days. Had no trouble identifying a variety of 12th mag. stars in the area of the galaxy, but the galaxy's light is too diffused. To find area, locate Gamma , then go up to a wide double, and straight north to the 6.8 mag. star in chart in Sky & Tel. that forms a triangle near the galaxy (sketch).
September 28, 1997, Lake Arthur Campground, PA
(4.5-inch) Very faintly visible in 50x. I have trouble discerning even the direction of alignment. Very strange how difficult it is, being so well-known. Burnham's lists it at about 12.1 mag. Looks like it has a blob on the northern end and a needle toward the southern end. There's a 10th mag star that really interferes with seeing it, just to the north of the nucleus, only a couple arcminutes away. The galaxy is plotted but not labeled on my Skalnate Pleso. I find that rather odd. I got the elongation right: I figured it was NNE to SSW, and looked it up. That's what it is. I'm really not seeing the northern needle tip, just the southern one. This one really doesn't jump out at me, but the more I look, the more detail I see. There's a clump on the southern end of it. There's a 12th mag star in that arm and just north of it there is a clump. There also appears to be a clump on the western side of the nucleus, just south of that 10th mag star by about 3 arcminutes or so. Can't make out the dark lane, but I might in time. Looking in 100x now. Still having trouble with the north end. Occasionally I get a fleeting glimpse of the tip.
I spent about 45 minutes on NGC 891. I get the full needle shape, but I just can't get the dark lane in any power. I can pick up all the major stars in the area from the picture.
Mar. 19-20,2007, Desert Coyote Observatory, Sierra Vista, AZ
(30-inch) I can see why it wasn't spectacular in the smaller (10-inch) scope. Very dim. For being such a large galaxy it's not very bright at all. I can easily see the dark lane, however, which pretty much divides it evenly in half. It's a nice thick dark lane, extending almost 2/3rds the length of my widest field of view in the zoom eyepiece. Can't really see much detail in the lighter parts, which are about equally bright. It's surprising to be able to see that dark lane considering how dim the galaxy actually is. Very interesting.
Mar. 3-4, 2008 (Mon. night), Desert Coyote Observatory, Sierra Vista, AZ
(30-inch) It's got a nice ghostly appearance. Dark lane, particularly in the central area is neat. It's a wonder the galaxy isn't brighter than it is, particularly in the central bulge. The bulge is a little brighter than the arms but there's not any real condensation there.
Oct. 4-5, 2023, Sky Meadows State Park, VA
(10 inch) It always amazes me how dim and large this one is. Very difficult in the sky in 100 to 150x in the barlow. It's just a thin, very faint, ill-defined smear. No sign of the dark lane. The glow is brighter and larger in the central bulge but it's very difficult to trace the arms out. I can see that it's a needle galaxy, but just can't see how far those arms go because they're just so faint and ill defined.
NGC 943
NGC 943, PGC 9459, MCG 8-5-14, CGCG 553-15, IRAS 02258+4812, 2MASS 02291042+4825566
Type: Galaxy, Spiral
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 15.1
Notes:
Oct. 24-25, 2003, Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park
(4.5-inch) I found NGC 942 and NGC 943, a pair of galaxies right next to each other. They're very very difficult to make out in these conditions. Seems like there's a star in there, too, or maybe a couple stars just west of the galaxies. They are very vague, so it must be pretty hazy. No way in the world they are both 11.3 mag if the haze isn't dimming them. (Later discovered the problem. It wasn't so much the haze as that The Sky had them plotted at 11.32 mag each, but the info box had one 11.32 and the other at 14.00, but I think they're both supposed to be very faint, per the Dreyer description. So the fact that I could see them at all is pretty good.)
NGC 752
NGC 752, C 28
Type: Open Cluster
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 5.69
(In the image, 56 And is one of the pair of stars to the SW of the cluster)
Notes:
Aug. 21-22, 2004 (Sat. night), Savage Farm, west of Leesburg, VA
(10-inch) A very large open cluster- good for binoculars. Fits in 39x. Not particularly rich. Kind of interesting in that the brightest stars form a triangle and there's a little chain of stars off to the E of the triangle, slightly NE.
Nov. 19-20, 2023, Sterling, VA
(4.5 inch) Shows up pretty decently, about 35 stars visible in the central field in 100x. If I haven't checked it out in a darker sky I probably should.
Sep.11-12, 2024, Shenandoah River State Park, VA
(15x70s) Great in binoculars. A nice large cluster and very rich in the center.
Sep. 18, 2026 (Fri. night), Sterling, VA
(102mm Mak) Smattering of stars in a large cluster. We put in the 25 mm eyepiece, which gives us 52x so it frames it much better.
NGC 7686
Object: NGC 7686
Type: Open Cluster
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 5.59
Notes:
October 24-25, 1995 (Tues. night) Isaak Walton field, Chambersburg PA
(4.5-inch) Pretty scattered. No real tight groupings. Couple of faint stars off to the WSW that are close. Binoculars show what looks like an interesting cluster to the SSW a couple of degrees, but in the scope it's just half a dozen or so 7th and 8th mag stars close together.
NGC 7662
NGC 7662, C 22, ARO 20, PK 106-17.1, PN G106.5-17.6, VV 285
Type: Planetary Nebula
Constellation: Andromeda
Mag: 8.3
Notes:
Nov. 12-13, 1993, Lake Kissimmee State Park Star Party, FL
(4.5-inch) Nice blue circle. SW side appears brighter. A little dark in the center- ring-shaped. In the 20-inch the donut shape is more pronounced- looks like two circles superimposed on each other, a little offset, similar to the Helix. Central star visible. S side is the thickest. The dark center is offset slightly to the N.
October 24-25, 1995 (Tues. night) Isaak Walton field, Chambersburg PA
(4.5-inch) Very bright, very round, fairly large (30 arc seconds). Wind a bit of a problem. A filled-in disk, slightly bluish in color- not much detail to see.
September 27, 1997, Lake Arthur Campground, PA
(4.5-inch) Very round. Appears filled in at all powers, particularly in 180x. It has a grainy look to it. It's not uniformly bright all around, but kind of spotty. Can't make out any central star. There is a 13th magnitude star about an arcminute to the east. Pretty well-defined edge to it also. I'm not seeing color too well tonight. It looks pretty much white. If anything it might have a slight greenish tint, but that may be more imagination and tired eyes than anything else. Also, there may be either a very faint star on the SE edge or else hints of a faint outer shell on that side, but again, who knows.
Nov. 20-21, 2003 (Thu. night), Sky Meadows State Park, VA
(4.5-inch) In 50x found it pretty easily. In 100x it's nice but no detail really visible. A very faint hint of blue. Better image scale in 200x. Star to the ESE. Can't get a sharp image on any stars due to the seeing. Faint star 2' or so E of the nebula, then a brighter star to the S about four times the distance. In 360x, a nice image scale, but the stars are just blobs. No detail in any power.
Oct. 6, 2004 (Wed. night), Savage Farm, west of Leesburg, VA
(10-inch) In 114x just a round blob. I don't see much of a blue color tonight. Maybe I've been looking at the red light of the computer filter too much. A hint of mottling. Need a bigger image scale. In 178x pretty much the same. Impression that the edges are a little brighter than the central area, and not particularly even. Irregular edges, maybe a little more faint stuff sticking out N and S, but not by much if there is anything. Still not much of a blue color to it. I think my eyes just don't pick up blue very well.
Sep. 15, 2026 (Tue. night), Sterling, VA
(102mm Mak) Easily visible. In 186x, gray and round with somewhat diffuse edges. Some mottling trending toward a hint of annularity. Backing off the power to 62x, I can discern a very slight bluish tint.
Sep 18, 2026 (Fri. night), Sterling, VA
(102mm Mak) Nice bright fuzzball. Some mottling in there and diffuse edges, just like I saw the last time I took a look at it.
Telescopes/binoculars used in these observations:
7x35: Tasco low end porro prism binoculars
10x50: Orion Ultraview 10x50 porro prism binoculars
10x56: Meade Master Class Pro ED 10x56 roof prism binoculars: 6.5 degrees (65 deg. AFOV), 5.6mm exit pupil, 22mm eye relief
15x70: Garrett Optical Signature Series 15x70: 4.4 degrees (66 deg. AFOV), 4.7mm exit pupil, 18mm eye relief
4.5 inch: 4.5-inch (114mm) Tasco 11TR (.965" eyepieces- Orion Explorer II) - 900mm focal length, f/7.9
102mm/4-inch: Sky-Watcher Skymax 102mm (4-inch) Maksutov-Cassegrain, 1300mm focal length, f/12.7 on either an SV225 mount on tripos or Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi tracking mount.
6-inch: 5.9-inch (150mm) Sky-Watcher Virtuos GTi 150P – 750mm focal length, f/5
BVAC 10-inch: Homemade 10-inch Dobsonian reflector on loan from local astronomy club. Believe it was around f/4 or f/4.5
10-inch: 9.75-inch (248mm) Hardin (GSO) Deep Space Hunter Dobsonian reflector on teflon/ebony star bearings. 1250 mm focal length, f/5
30-inch: Rented truss tube Dobsonian reflector
Sites (listed alphabetically; not all apply to every constellation):
Estimated light pollution, using the Bortle Scale, around the general time the observations were made. Most sites from years ago are now significantly more light polluted.
Reston, VA: Bortle 7
Big Meadows, Shenandoah Nat. Park, VA: Bortle 3-4
Blackwater Falls State Park, WV: Bortle 4
Brighton Twp. PA: Bortle 5-6
Bull Creek WMA, east of Holopaw, FL: Bortle 2
Caledonia State Park PA: Bortle 5
Chautauqua, NY: Bortle 4-5
Cherry Springs State Park, PA: Bortle 2
Chiefland Star Fest, Chiefland, FL: Bortle 3
Crockett Park near Manassas, VA: Bortle 5-6, more sky glow to the east and northeast
Delmarva Stargaze at Tuckahoe State Park, MD: Bortle 5?
Desert Coyote Observatory, Sierra Vista, AZ: Bortle 4
Gibsonia, PA: Bortle 6
Great Meadow, SW of The Plains, VA: Bortle 6, more sky glow to the east
Hearts Content Recreation Area, Allegheny Natl. Forest, PA: Bortle 3
Isaak Walton field, Chambersburg PA: Bortle 4-5
James River State Park, VA: Bortle 3-4
Lake Arthur Family Campground, PA (near Moraine State Park, PA, north of Pittsburgh): Bortle 3
Lake Kissimmee State Park Star Party, FL: Bortle 2-3
Mahogany Hammock, Everglades, FL: Bortle 1-2
Lamping Homestead Picnic/campground area, Wayne National Forest, near Marietta OH: Bortle 4
Oil Region Star Party (Astroblast), near Franklin PA: Bortle 4
Pittburgh, PA (Highland Park): Bortle 7
Ponderosa Park, Kissimmee, FL: Bortle 4, often excellent seeing
Prince of Peace Church, Freedom, PA: Bortle 5, more sky glow to the south
Savage Farm, west of Leesburg, VA: Bortle 4, with strong sky glow to the east from Washington, DC and the Northern VA suburbs
Shenandoah River State Park, VA: Bortle 4
Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park: Bortle 3-4, more sky glow to the east
Sky Meadows State Park, VA: Bortle 4-5, considerably more sky glow to the east up about 30 degrees
Sterling, VA: Bortle 8 (very washed out urban sky in the Northern VA suburbs)
Tamiami Trail, Florida Everglades: Bortle 3
The Mountain Institute, Spruce Knob, WV: Bortle 1-2, very minor light domes near the horizon
Three Lakes WMA, FL: Bortle 1-2
Tomlinson Run State Park, WV: Bortle 5
Wagman Observatory, Amateur Astronomers Assoc. of Pittsburgh, near Russellton PA: Bortle 5