12 ASTRONOMY TUTORIALS TO MASTER
All About Space|Issue 129
For the very best views of the night sky
Stuart Atkinson and Nigel Watson
12 ASTRONOMY TUTORIALS TO MASTER

Get Andromeda in your sights

Make sure you're equipped for the very best views of our nearest spiral, also known as Messier 31

You’ll need: ✔ A dark observing site ✔ Our finder charts ✔ A pair of binoculars (optional) ✔ A small telescope (optional)

1 Get dark adapted

It’s important to let your eyes adapt properly. Messier 31’s light is spread over a wide area and any light pollution or moonlight will hide it from view.

2 Find Cassiopeia

First find Cassiopeia, a W-shaped constellation high in the Northern Hemisphere sky. Then locate the upside-down ‘Y’ of Perseus directly by it.

3 Use star hopping

Starting at Mirfak, the central star in Perseus, slowly ‘star hop’ two stars along to the right to Mirach in Andromeda.

4 Seek a smudge

Look for an elongated smudge of light a short distance from Mirach. This is Messier 31. Use averted vision if you don’t see it right away.

5 Use binoculars

Use binoculars if you can’t see Messier 31 with just your eyes. You will see it as a distinct ovalshaped blur that’s grey-white in colour.

6 Upgrade to a small telescope

Through a small telescope Messier 31 will look much brighter. You might even see one or both of its small satellite galaxies, Messier 32 and Messier 110.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ALL ABOUT SPACEView all
MYSTERIES OF THE UNI WHERE ARE ALL THE SPIRAL GALAXIES?
All About Space UK

MYSTERIES OF THE UNI WHERE ARE ALL THE SPIRAL GALAXIES?

There are far fewer spiral galaxies than elliptical ones in the Supergalactic Plane, and scientists are keen to discover why

time-read
7 mins  |
Issue 161
ZOMBIE STARS
All About Space UK

ZOMBIE STARS

+10 OTHER TERRIFYING SPACE OBJECTS

time-read
8 mins  |
Issue 161
HOW TO BEAT LIGHT POLLUTION
All About Space UK

HOW TO BEAT LIGHT POLLUTION

Thought it was impossible to observe the wonders of the night sky from towns and cities? Think again. Follow our tips and tricks on successfully observing through sky glow

time-read
2 mins  |
Issue 161
15 STUNNING STAR CLUSTERS
All About Space UK

15 STUNNING STAR CLUSTERS

These beautiful stellar groupings are spattered across the cosmos

time-read
8 mins  |
Issue 161
Eileen Collins "It was a difficult mission...we were the first to see Mir"
All About Space UK

Eileen Collins "It was a difficult mission...we were the first to see Mir"

Having served as both the first female pilot and first female commander of NASA's Space Shuttle, Collins boosted the involvement of women in space exploration to a whole new level

time-read
9 mins  |
Issue 161
MARS LEAKS FASTER WHEN IT'S CLOSER TO THE SUN
All About Space UK

MARS LEAKS FASTER WHEN IT'S CLOSER TO THE SUN

The Red Planet has lost enough water to space to form a global ocean hundreds of kilometres deep

time-read
2 mins  |
Issue 161
FUTURE TECH KANKOH-MARU
All About Space UK

FUTURE TECH KANKOH-MARU

This ambitious reusable spacecraft will be capable of taking 50 people to and from orbit

time-read
2 mins  |
Issue 161
THE FINAL FRONTIER
All About Space UK

THE FINAL FRONTIER

Beyond the reach of the Sun is a fascinating region of the cosmos that were only just beginning to explore

time-read
8 mins  |
Issue 161
A long-lost moon could explain Mars' weird shape and extreme terrain
All About Space UK

A long-lost moon could explain Mars' weird shape and extreme terrain

A long-lost moon could explain why Mars is so different from the other rocky planets in the Solar System. Today Mars has two tiny moons.

time-read
2 mins  |
Issue 161
A sprinkling of cosmic dust may have helped kick-start life on Earth
All About Space UK

A sprinkling of cosmic dust may have helped kick-start life on Earth

Cosmic dust may have helped kick-start life on Earth. New findings challenge a widely held assumption that this wasn't a plausible explanation.

time-read
3 mins  |
Issue 161