Yesterday I finally got a chance to try out my new Ultima 18mm eyepiece after ten cloudy nights. When I got out, Pegasus was well placed in the sky and I decided to take a prolonged look at 7331. I could detect it already at 11x; at 22x (with 18mm) it was quite obvious, position angle and all. Since comparing different eyepieces was my business, I spent at least 40 minutes just looking at the galaxy at different powers. Gradually an overall impression had begun to cristallize, but then came the clouds.
When I came home I checked the entry about this galaxy in the O'Meara book about Caldwell objects (an excellent book in every respect!). My impression was rather close to the photo, a bright core surrounded by extended elongated haze. There was way to go to O'Meara's sketch showing the spiral arms, but he had spent several hours with this galaxy! (Having a bigger scope and darker skies as well.)
Dmitri
When I came home I checked the entry about this galaxy in the O'Meara book about Caldwell objects (an excellent book in every respect!). My impression was rather close to the photo, a bright core surrounded by extended elongated haze. There was way to go to O'Meara's sketch showing the spiral arms, but he had spent several hours with this galaxy! (Having a bigger scope and darker skies as well.)
Dmitri
