Just saw the Andromeda Galaxy through my telescope for the first time and counted the stars visible in the field

I set up my 8 inch Dobsonian last night in my backyard and spotted the Andromeda Galaxy. I was absolutely FLOORED to count over 20 stars in the same field of view around the galaxy core. Has anyone else been surprised by how much detail pops out with just a simple backyard scope?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_wyatt5d ago

20 stars around the core? That's wild. I've got a 10 inch dob and even with dark skies I never see more than maybe 12 or 14 near the center. Were you looking at it when it was high overhead or closer to the horizon? Because I've noticed the difference is huge with how much atmosphere you're looking through, especially in the suburbs.

hollyl455d ago

Altitude makes such a massive difference honestly.