Spot the Great Andromeda Galaxy

Now that the bright Moon has left the evening sky, it's a good time to turn our attention to one of the most amazing sky objects which is passing almost directly over our heads this week between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m.

To see this "little cloud" requires good eyesight and a dark and crystal-clear night with no street or house lighting nearby. With the unaided eye it appears as nothing more than an indefinite, mysterious glow: a diffuse elongated smear perhaps two or three times the apparent width of the Moon.

To find it, locate the Great Square of Pegasus. Then, focus binoculars on the bright star Alpheratz, which is at the upper left corner of the Square. Then move straight across to the east (left) and get the star Mirach in Andromeda) in your field of view.

Then move slowly up to a fairly bright star above Mirach and continue to run up in the same direction until you find the "little cloud." That will be your stopping place.

Today we know it as the great Andromeda
Galaxy.

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/0711...andromeda.html