benk26•2mo ago

Last Tuesday was the best night I've had with my telescope in months

I set up in the backyard around 9pm and the air was so still. Usually I fight with light pollution from the neighbors, but for some reason the sky was just crystal clear. I spotted Jupiter and three of its moons without even trying. Also saw the Andromeda galaxy for the first time with my own eyes, not just a photo online. Has anyone else had a random weeknight that blew away all your planned sessions?

3 comments

3 Comments

paige_ellis592mo ago

Used to think you needed binoculars at LEAST to see it, but last week proved me TOTALLY wrong. That still blows my mind honestly.

noranguyen21d ago

Question whether it's really all that impressive. I mean, sure, you can see a faint blurry smudge on a really dark night if you know exactly where to look, but it's not like you're seeing those gorgeous spiral arms without binoculars or a telescope. Take it from someone who's been disappointed by a lot of hyped-up "naked eye" sights, your mileage may vary.

the_oscar2mo ago

Wait Andromeda is actually visible to the naked eye from a dark site, not just through the telescope.