Thursday, January 2, 2025

The Andromeda Galaxy (all night)

After the sky fully darkens in early January, the Andromeda Galaxy is positioned near the zenith, which is ideal for viewing it through a minimum of Earth's atmosphere. The galaxy will descend the western sky as the hours roll by, but you'll have plenty of time to enjoy it. This large spiral galaxy, also designated Messier 31 and NGC 224, is 2.5 million light years from us, and covers an area of sky measuring 3 by 1 degrees (or six by two full moon diameters)! Under dark skies, M31 can be seen with unaided eyes as a faint smudge located 7 degrees to the north-northwest of the medium-bright star Mirach. The three westernmost stars of W-shaped Cassiopeia, Caph, Shedar, and Navi (Gamma Cas), also conveniently form an arrowhead that points towards M31. Binoculars will reveal the galaxy very well. In a telescope, use your lowest magnification eyepiece and look for M31's two smaller companion galaxies, the foreground, brighter Messier 32 and the more distant, fainter Messier 110.

(Data courtesy of Starry Night)
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