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(IAAC) Obj: M31- Inst: 8 X 23 mm Binoculars
Observer: Adam Albino
Your skill: Intermediate
Date and UT of observation: LDT: 97/12/31 9:49pm UTC: 1998/01/01 1:49
Location & latitude: Marstons Mills, MA - Cape Cod
Site classification: Rural
Limiting magnitude: 6
Seeing (1 to 10 - worst-best): 8
Moon up (phase?): No
Weather: Clear - Steady
Instrument: 8 x 23 mm Bushnell Binoculars
Magnifications: 8X
Filters used: none
Object: M-31
Type: Galaxy , Mag. 3.4
Constellation: Andromeda
RA/DE: 00:42.8 / +41.16’
Description:
New years eve. Very cold, but strikingly clear on Cape Cod. Didn’t bring
my scope, so all I had was my birdying binoculars. The're small but its
better than nothing. Actually M31 was quite a nice site through them.
Even with naked eye, the great galaxy’s haze was very apparent. M31
appeared as a large oblong shape with a distinct bright central bulge.
I’m always amazed how much more “galaxy” like M31 appears through
binoculars then through a telescope. The shape is a perfect elongated
oval, bright central bulge, with the outer arms a translucent milky
“wisp”. One really gets the feel of some of those astrophoto’s. My
guess is its a combination of large FOV and low power of the binoculars.
No real detail was seen at this aperture of course. That would have to
wait for larger scopes and another night.