Can the Sagittarius and Canis Major Dwarf Galaxies be Seen with the Naked Eye?

[shounakbhatta]

Hello,

If I am not wrong, I think that no galaxy can be viewed from Earth with naked eye, right?

 

[George Jones]

The two Magellanic Clouds can be seen easily in the southern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere, I have see the Andromeda Galaxy, M31, many times.

 

[Drakkith]

George is correct. Some people claim to be able to *barely* see Messier 33 from pristine dark sky locations with the naked eye.

 

[Kevin Willis]

A month ago here in Florida, my astronomy club and I were on a trip to possibly the least light polluted place in Florida and we could clearly see Andromeda and a few other faint objects (can't remember what the others were). Newbie astronomer here trying to get some hands on experience before I get to the university to continue my educational path in astrophysics.

 

[Borek]

Each time I go outside at the night I see the Galaxy in the sky. Not sure what the problem is.

 

[Kevin Willis]

Each time I go outside at the night I see the Galaxy in the sky. Not sure what the problem is.

The problem is that most of the worlds population is not able to do that. Light pollution and weather are the major reasons people can't see most of the sky. I live in a city where on our best nights we can see only the major constellations. Deep sky viewing even from my 12 inch DOB is unattainable. I'm suprized you don't realize that most of the population lives in cities where light pollution is so bad you can not see Andromeda with the naked eye.

 

[Borek]

The problem is that most of the worlds population is not able to do that. Light pollution and weather are the major reasons people can't see most of the sky. I live in a city where on our best nights we can see only the major constellations. Deep sky viewing even from my 12 inch DOB is unattainable. I'm suprized you don't realize that most of the population lives in cities where light pollution is so bad you can not see Andromeda with the naked eye.

I live in the city as well. I am surprised you don't see the Galaxy.

 

[mfb]

I see a part of a galaxy even in closed rooms! But I think that was not the type of "view a galaxy" shounakbhatta meant.

 

[turbo]

Where I live, it is very easy to see Andromeda on a clear night. Also, if you allow your eyes to get dark-adapted and use averted vision, M33 is naked-eye, but tougher.

 

[Drakkith]

I live in the city as well. I am surprised you don't see the Galaxy.

I cannot see M31 from the last 3 places I have lived at. A combination of light pollution and nearby lights that keep me from getting dark adapted.

 

[shounakbhatta]

Actually the place where I live, when I try to gaze at the night sky (it should be during New Moon). there are so much light from the nearby building, light posts that I hardly could point out a galaxy. I could the small and the large bear. Also, my problem is that I cannot exactly point out which one is the galaxy.

For me pollution and lights are a factor which prevents me to watch something clearly.

 

[Borek]

Whenever I see any star I know I see the Galaxy, I fail to understand how you fail to see one.

 

[shounakbhatta]

Another question. As Canis Major Dwarf & Sagittarius Dwarf sph are the nearest galaxies to Milky way, can anybody view it in naked eye? Or is it due to low luminosity one cannot see it?

 

[shounakbhatta]

Yes I also do see a lot of stars, but how can that mean it can be in a galaxy and rather which galaxy?

 

[Borek]

You have never stated which galaxy you want to see.

 

[shounakbhatta]

Andromeda
Canis Major Dwarf
& Sagittarius Dwarf sph

 

[phinds]

Yes I also do see a lot of stars, but how can that mean it can be in a galaxy and rather which galaxy?

We LIVE in a galaxy ... the Milky Way. Every star you can see at night is part of the Milky Way galaxy.

 

[shounakbhatta]

Yes, I know that. I am trying to post a question, how could I see other galaxies in naked eye looking into the night sky, like Andromeda etc.

 

[Bandersnatch]

You need to go someplace where you can easily discern the band of Milky Way in the sky. Andromeda looks almost like just another fuzzy patch of the MW, so if you can see one, you should be able to see the other, off the corner of you eye at least.
It's really nothing spectacular, you know. Don't expect miniature Hubble pictures.

I don't know about CMa Dwarf, but the wiki lists Sag Dwarf's apparent magnitude as 4.5, so at least in principle it should be visible to a naked eye (generally the limit for an unaided human eye is considered to be around 6th magnitude, but the fuzziness of galaxies makes them a bit harder to see, to me at least).

 

[Drakkith]

I don't know about CMa Dwarf, but the wiki lists Sag Dwarf's apparent magnitude as 4.5, so at least in principle it should be visible to a naked eye (generally the limit for an unaided human eye is considered to be around 6th magnitude, but the fuzziness of galaxies makes them a bit harder to see, to me at least).

The Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy lies mostly on the opposite side of the galactic core and is very faint because of this. You cannot see it with your naked eye.

As for the Canis major Dwarf Galaxy, it is so close that it is spread over a 12x12 degree area of sky and as such is not visible to the naked eye.(Or at least not as a singular object) This is a huge area. The full moon is 0.5 by 0.5 degrees and the Andromeda Galaxy is about 3x1 degree in area.