Were we to actually go to another galaxy, even the Andromeda galaxy which is the closest major galaxy to the Milky Way, only 2. It makes no sense to talk of the constellations of Andromeda or Virgo as seen from another galaxy, since from another galaxy any observer would see all of the Milky Way stars together, just as we see a small patch of fuzzy light when we look at the Andromeda galaxy.
It is not that Andromedans would see our constellation Andromeda differently; they would not distinguish it from the Milky Way at all. The Andromeda galaxy has been known from early times. Al-Sufi described it as a "little cloud" in AD. Simon Marius observed it in through a telescope, and described it as like a flame of a candle.
It was not easy for astronomers to understand what a galaxy looks like. Early viewers of the Andromeda galaxy did not imagine that it was a star system like our own. To understand how this works, let? There are several tools which will help this process. The first is a good star chart, such as this one produced by Starry Night.
The difficulty with all star charts is that they represent the skies on a much smaller scale than the real thing, and beginners often find it difficult to relate the stars they see to the chart on paper. For example, The Square of Pegasus, in the lower right of this chart, is much larger in the sky than it appears on the chart. It helps to print out star charts on a large scale. An absolute essential is a good dark sky. This means getting away from light pollution, which will obscure all but the very brightest deep sky objects.
Note that light pollution definitely includes moonlight: one reason for hunting Andromeda tonight is that there will be no moon to spoil the view. You will need a red flashlight to study your chart; a white light will spoil your dark adaptation and make it impossible to see faint objects.
In fact, the famous spiral galaxy is as wide a six full moons! To jump to a specific section, tap on it in the table of contents below. The constellation of Andromeda is best viewed in fall and winter in the Northern Hemisphere, where it can be seen from dusk until dawn.
The viewing window improves through winter, as the galaxy is high overhead at 8 pm in November, December, and January. By February, we need to be hunting for it earlier in the evening, and, in March, we lose the chance to see it because it sets soon after night falls. Look northeast in the early hours of June, July, and August, when it will be almost overhead at 4 am. Morning views continue to September, and the annual cycle begins to repeat. To get the details of where to see the galaxy on any night of the year in your location, use a dedicated star chart , or astronomy software such as the free Stellarium or SkySafari 6 , which you need to pay for.
Even when Andromeda is high in the sky, we still need good seeing conditions to get the best views. It is a dim object, so is much harder to see when there is light pollution — including from the Moon. This dark sky finder map opens a new tab is a great resource for seeing how dark your sky is and for finding your closest darker sites.
Note the constellation of Cassiopeia above the Andromeda Galaxy. Both routes to finding M31 use a method known as star-hopping. Times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information consult online planetariums like Stellarium and The Sky Live. This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here. More From Forbes.
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