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Posted by Bob Sal on January 2, 2002 21:48:05 UTC

You can't just say this size scope will resolve the spiral arms in galaxies. Galaxies are of course diffent magnitudes, surface brightness and the details are subtel in any backyard scope. For example, on a good night I can see the spiral arms of M51 in my 80MM refractor. That's about the only galaxy I can see spairal arms with that scope. So I guess 80mm is the minimun. On a not so clear night, I can't see them in M51 with my 12". On a good night I can see details in many galaxies with the 12". That's basically the accepted size for galaxy observing. But again, it really depends on the sky and the items your looking at. I once saw M33 in a 20" Obession. Amazing. So the more aperture the better. I just hate to say, you will see with that. But 12" is where it starts to get really good on clear nights.
That's it;
BOB SAL

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