Messier 33 (M 33) - Triangulum Galaxy

Introduction | Map | Find/Identify | Sketch | My Best Own Photos | My Own Observations | References || Appendix: My Own Photos

On this page I collect my observations of the Triangulum galaxy M 33 in the constellation Triangulum, including the enclosed HII region NGC 604.

 

Introduction

The Triangulum Galaxy M 33 in constellation Triangulum is the third largest galaxy in the "local group," which also contains our Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy M 31. It is considered to be the most distant celestial object visible to the naked eye. I had problems even with my small refractor to catch just a glow at all. According to Stoyan, the problem with this DSO is that the exit pupil is too low. According to this author, the best magnification for a 3" telescope is 12 x. Thus, for my PS 72/432 it would be even less (10 to 11 x...). Such low magnifications also require a very dark sky so that there is enough contrast to the sky background... In France, I was able to catch at least a faint glow in autumn 2018...

The galaxy M 33 includes a number of H II regions, which correspond to galactic emission nebulae, the brightest of which is NGC 604 that I discovered on an eVscope photo in February 2020. For more information on H II regions in M 33, see page H II Regions (Vespera).

Size: 30' x 20' (Stoyan)
Distance: 3 million light years
Rating: *** (Stoyan)

 

Map

M 33 (Triangulum Galaxy) in the constellation Triangulum; the Andromeda Galaxy M 31 is also marked, as well as several open star clusters (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

 

Find/Identify

Find: I found the Triangulum Galaxy M 33 by moving down from the Andromeda Galaxy M 31 to the bright star Mirach - and then moved about the same distance down in the same direction. See map below:

Identify: Once you have found M 33, you can be sure that it is M 33. (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

 

Sketch

The sketch by Michael Vlasov (DeepSkyWatch.com) provides an impression of what I guessed of the Triangulum Galaxy M 33: Sketch of the galaxy M 33 by Michael Vlasov (Copyright © Michael Vlasov 2016)

Note: I only have the author's permission to link to the sketch.

 

My Best Own Photos

eVscope

         

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020

 

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020

 

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020

   

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020, processed

 

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020, processed

 

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020, processed

   

M 33 - Jan 24, 2022

 

M 33 - Jan 24, 2022, photo left processed

 

M 33 with NGC 604 - Sep 7, 2020, processed

eVscope 2

         

M 33 - Nov 2, 2022 (third sample)

 

M 33 - Dec 17, 2022 (third sample)

 

M 33 - Jan 18, 2023 (third sample)

   

M 33 - Nov 2, 2022, photo on top processed

 

M 33 - 17.12.2022, photo on top processed

 

M 33 - Jan 18, 2023, photo on top processed

   

M 33 with NGC 604 - Nov 2, 2022, processed

 

M 33 - Dec 18, 2023, 10 min

 

M 33 - Dec 18, 2023, photo left processed

Vespera

    

M 33 - Oct 30, 2022, original (269 frames = 2690 seconds)

  M 33 - Oct 30, 2022, large (269 frames = 2690 seconds) processed
   
   

M 33 with NGC 604 - Oct 30, 2022, large (269 frames = 2690 seconds) processed

 

My Own Observations

Observations September/October 2018

Observations September/October 2019

Observations January to March 2020

Observations September to November 2020

Observations October to December 2021

Observations January to March 2022

Observations October/December 2022

Observations January 2023

Observations December 2023

Observations January 2024

 

References

Websites

On this Site


Appendix: My Own Photos

eVscope

         

M 33 - Feb 5, 2020

 

M 33 - Feb 5, 2020, processed

 

M 33 - Feb 6, 2020, processed

         

M 33 - Feb 6, 2020, processed

 

M 33 - Feb 6, 2020, processed

 

M 33 - Feb 6, 2020, processed

         

M 33 - Feb 24, 2020

 

M 33 - Feb 24, 2020, processed

 

M 33 - Feb 24, 2020, heavily processed

   

M 33 - Mar 18, 2020

 

M 33 - Mar 18, 2020, processed

 

M 33 - Feb 24, 2020, processed; the arrow points to the brightest HII region in M 33, NGC 604

   

M 33 - Sep 7, 2020

 

M 33 - Sep 7, 2020, processed

 

M 33 - Sep 7, 2020, processed; the red dot points to the brightest HII region in M 33, NGC 604

     

M 33 - Sep 9, 2020, disturbed

 

M 33 - Sep 9, 2020, processed

   
     

M 33 - Sep 18, 2020

 

M 33 - Sep 18, 2020, processed

   
     

M 33 - Oct 10, 2020

 

M 33 - Oct 10, 2020, processed

   
     

M 33 - Oct 10, 2020

 

M 33 - Oct 10, 2020, processed

   
   

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020

 

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020

 

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020

   

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 33 - Nov 14, 2020, photo on top processed

     

M 33 - Oct 7, 2021

 

M 33 - Oct 7, 2021, somewhat fuzzy

   
     

M 33 - Oct 7, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 33 - Oct 7, 2021, photo on top processed

   
     

M 33 - Jan 24, 2022

 

M 33 - Jan 24, 2022, photo left processed

   
     

M 33 - Jan 24, 2022

 

M 33 - Jan 24, 2022, photo left processed

   

eVscope 2

         

M 33 - Dec 10, 2021

 

M 33 - Dec 10, 2021

 

M 33 - Dec 21, 2021

   

M 33 - Dec 10, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 33 - Dec 10, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 33 - Dec 21, 2021, photo on top processed

   

M 33 - Jan 6, 2022

 

M 33 - Jan 24, 2022

 

M 33 - Mar 19, 2022

   

M 33 - Jan 6, 2022, photo above processed

 

M 33 - Jan 24, 2022, photo above processed

 

M 33 - Mar 19, 2022, photo above processed

   

M 33 - Nov 2, 2022 (third sample)

 

M 33 - Dec 17, 2022 (third sample)

 

M 33 - Jan 18, 2023 (third sample)

   

M 33 - Nov 2, 2022, photo on top processed

 

M 33 - 17.12.2022, photo on top processed

 

M 33 - Jan 18, 2023, photo on top processed

   

M 33 with NGC 604 - Nov 2, 2022, processed

 

M 33 - Dec 18, 2023, 10 min

 

M 33 - Dec 18, 2023, photo left processed

Vespera

    

M 33 - Oct 30, 2022, original (269 frames = 2690 seconds)

  M 33 - Oct 30, 2022, large (269 frames = 2690 seconds) processed (PSE)
   
   

M 33 with NGC 604 - Oct 30, 2022, large (269 frames = 2690 seconds) processed (DN)

    

M 33 - Jan 28, 2024, original (249 frames = 2490s), CLS Filter

 

M 33 - Jan 29, 2024, large (249 frames = 2490s) CLS Filter, processed

    

M 33 - Jan 29, 2024, original (253 frames = 2530s), small mosaic

 

M 33 - Jan 29, 2024, large (253 frames = 2530s) processed