Tuesday, September 3, 2024

The Andromeda Galaxy (all night)

September evenings feature the Andromeda Galaxy, which is already climbing
the northeastern sky after dusk. This large spiral galaxy, also designated Messier 31 (or M31) and NGC 224, is the closest large galaxy to us - at a distance of "only" 2.5 million light years. It covers an area of the sky measuring 3 by 1 degrees (or six by two full moon diameters). Under dark
skies, the galaxy can be seen with unaided eyes as a faint smudge located 1.4 fist diameters to the left (or 14 degrees to the celestial northeast) of Alpheratz, the star that forms the left-hand (northwestern) corner of the square of Pegasus. The three highest (westernmost) stars of Cassiopeia, Caph, Shedar, and Navi (Gamma Cas), also conveniently form a triangle that points towards M31. Binoculars will show the galaxy best. For telescopes, use low magnification and look for M31's two smaller companion galaxies, the
foreground Messier 32 and more distant Messier 110.

(Data Courtesy of Starry Night)
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