Deep-sky objects

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

Vlad1980 — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:51:20 GMT

Thanks for the tips... I was able to observe M51 (and its companion) and M101 in my scope on my trip to upstate NY .. unfortunately, I had bigger plans as far as number of DSOs to see, but unexpectedly cold nights and my drunken friends made it a little hard to accomplish. But, still I am very happy with my progress overall.

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

Orionis2009 — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:46:11 GMT

update:

this past weekend i went to a semi-dark area (about 20 minute drive from my house) and observed m51 through my 5 inch reflector. i had no trouble finding the galaxy, but it was still very faint even though i resolved both m51 and its companion (two smudges near one another(

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

DaveMitsky — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:42:16 GMT

M106 is another galaxy in that area that should be observable.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze55p46/id15.html

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/stellar/scenes/object_e/m106.htm

http://education.gsu.edu/spehar/FOCUS/Astronomy/star-hop/Monthly/msh06-1.htm#1

Dave Mitsky

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

StarNerd — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:48:51 GMT

Hi Vlad1980!

I have found that M101 (Pinwheel galaxy) was one of the most difficult galaxies I've detected so far. I'm from central NJ too and the light pollution makes low surface brightness galaxies extremely difficult to see. I was just barely able to detect M101 as a wisp of haze with averted vision on a night of good transparency. And, I'm using 12" of aperature.

I think you actually have a better shot at seeing M51 as it has a higher surface brightness.

M101 is above (North) Alkaid. It makes an almost equilateral triangle with Alkaid and Mizar/Alcor such that M101 is at the tip of the triangle above (North) the dipper's handle.

If you look at Alkaid then look South West by about 10 deg., the next bright star you'll come across is Cor Caroli in Canes Venatici. M51 lies roughly on this line about 1/3 of the way from Alkaid to Cor Caroli. Incidentally, M63 (Sunflower galaxy) also lies roughly on this line about 2/3 of the way from Alkaid to Cor Caroli. M63 is a tough one as well, but not as tough as M101, IMO.

M94 is an easier galaxy to see and it lies North of the line adjoining Cor Caroli and Chara. They make a wide obtuse triangle with M94 at the wide tip.

Last year, while searching this area with my 5" reflector, M94 was the only galaxy I could see. I was not able to find the others (M63, M51, and M101) until this year when I used the 12" reflector.

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

Vlad1980 — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:26:21 GMT

Thanks!

Next clear night I will try to look for it as well as M51.

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

tkerr — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:16:57 GMT

Vlad1980:

I am new to all of this but I tried to find it on my scope few days ago and no luck. I guess I have to learn star hopping little more to find it. For example, I spotted Ring nebula fairly quickly, but this one got away from me... for now. I used 38mm (2") and 25 EPs.

Edit: I think I just realized that I was actually looking to find M101, not M51. Both are in Ursa Major.

Actually M51 is in the Canes Venatici Constellation

There is a asterism of 3 stars forming a triangle near the vicinity of M51, if you can find that you will have no problem finding M51 provided you have clear dark skies. Although it can be found using low magnifications under dark skies, that is one galaxy that benefits from higher magnification and averted vision.

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

Vlad1980 — Mon, 18 May 2009 05:54:30 GMT

I am new to all of this but I tried to find it on my scope few days ago and no luck. I guess I have to learn star hopping little more to find it. For example, I spotted Ring nebula fairly quickly, but this one got away from me... for now. I used 38mm (2") and 25 EPs.

Edit: I think I just realized that I was actually looking to find M101, not M51. Both are in Ursa Major.

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

Orionis2009 — Thu, 14 May 2009 02:05:10 GMT

yeah m51 (whirlpool galaxy)....sorry for the typo

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

tkerr — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:44:40 GMT

Orionis2009:

A few weeks ago, i saw m52 through my 5 inch relfector using the 32mm possl eyepiece under the extremely light polluted skies of SLC. the galaxy was very very, and i mean VERY faint, and i had to "shake" the telescope a bit to even detect it.

You mean M51?
M52 is an open cluster in Cassiopeia

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

Orionis2009 — Wed, 13 May 2009 01:38:57 GMT

A few weeks ago, i saw m51 through my 5 inch relfector using the 32mm possl eyepiece under the extremely light polluted skies of SLC. the galaxy was very very, and i mean VERY faint, and i had to "shake" the telescope a bit to even detect it.

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

StarNerd — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:45:24 GMT

Hi everyone,

I viewed M51 a few weeks ago for the first time. I have light-polluted skies - limiting magnitude at zenith at the time I viewed the galaxies was about 4.5. Using the Zhumell Z12 12" scope and a 9.7mm plossl EP, I could only see the bright cores of both galaxies, but no structure. I made the following sketch:

Last year I recall searching many times for M51 and not finding it. I was using a 5" reflector at the time.

Note that I am fortunate to have a very dark observing spot despite the sky glow (very little light intrusion from neighbors). This allows my eyes to get as dark adapted as possible.

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

WABarry — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:08:23 GMT

From a driveway or backyard, assuming some light polution, it is a difficult target. You should see two fuzzy "stars" (the brighter centers of the of the two objects), M51 and it's smaller companion. From a dark sky, away from city lights, you should see some evidence of the spiral structure....a glow around one of the fuzzy "stars".

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

DaveMitsky — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 05:20:03 GMT

M51 is 11 x 7 arc minutes in apparent size, which I would not characterize as huge, although it is larger than most. (For the sake of comparison, M33 subtends 73 x 45 arc minutes.)

M51 is fairly bright, having an integrated magnitude of 8.4 and a rather healthy surface brightness of 12.6 magnitudes per square arc minute. The face-on galaxies M33, M74, and M101 are far more difficult to see from less than dark sites, since they have low surface brightnesses of 14.2, 14.4, and 14.8 magnitudes per square arc minute respectively.

Dave Mitsky

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

catzal — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:06:13 GMT

Just another thought on large galaxies. When I lived in New Mexico I could frequently see M-33 with the naked eye. But even under those conditions I always though it looked far more pleasing with a 8X50 finder or large binoculars than with my 13 inch scope. it was just too dang big.

Re: Whirlpool Galaxy

DarylGS — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:05:36 GMT

Thanks, all for your insight. I'm going out tonight into a much darker area and we'll see what happens. I'll keep the size of the object and the FOV closely in mind.