Finally found the Triangulum Galaxy (M33), while looking for a comet … how very Messier of me.
I spent some time on the front steps looking in the direction of Triangulum with my binoculars, specifically trying to locate the 8P/Tuttle comet. After searching 10 minutes in 30° weather, I actually found M33. M33 had eluded me for months. It looks like an faint oval cloud. [note to self: I need new language to describe "faint" things if I expect to have any luck remembering details about these "faint fuzzy" objects]
My search position for Tuttle was based on a day old map, and this comet is moving very quickly.
After another quick web search for 8P/Tuttle’s path, I found it in between Triangulum, Aries and Pisces. It was pretty much in the exact location as M74. I was worried that I had found M74 by mistake, until I checked up on M74. M74 is apparently the most difficult Messier object to observe and is impossible to view in 10×50 binoculars.
Tuttle looked … well … fuzzy. But it was round rather than oval.
Stacy was inside (warm) working on the first of many, many, many grant applications. I hated that she couldn’t be out with me, but I’m very excited that she’s taking her first step towards grant-funded research.
Observing conditions: Clear, with above average transparency, poor seeing, 30F, wind chill 20F.
