Find out how to see the Andromeda Galaxy through your telescope<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p> However, as with many things in astronomy, there are instances where this might be beaten. Under very dark skies, the Triangulum Galaxy<\/a>, M33, may be seen.<\/p> Its distance is less certain, quoted as 2.4\u20133.1 million lightyears, but at the latter value it would easily beat M31.<\/p> There have even been claims that the galaxies M81 and M82, known as Bode’s Galaxy and the Cigar Galaxy<\/a>, in Ursa Major<\/a> have been seen from exceptional sites at high altitude.<\/p> At a distance of 11.7 million lightyears, these would be hard to beat.<\/p> So what’s the most distant object you can see with a telescope?<\/p> Here things get much more complex, as different sizes of telescope have different light-grasp capabilities.<\/p> Combined with variable sky conditions, looking for distant targets can produce markedly different results.<\/p> One of the best targets for this kind of exercise is an object known as a quasar.<\/p> A quasar is a distant star-like object, the name quasar being a contraction of \u2018quasi-stellar\u2019, meaning \u2018star-like\u2019.<\/p> They are believed to be extremely luminous active galactic nuclei, possibly powered by a supermassive black hole<\/a>.<\/p> Most are pretty faint, but there are a number which are within the visual range of amateur telescopes.<\/p> A classic example visible in springtime is 3C 273, located in Virgo.<\/p> This is one of the first quasars identified as such and shines away at mag. 12.9.<\/p> If you manage to locate it, the light from this object set off 2.4 billion years ago \u2013 roughly half the age of our Sun.<\/p> Use our finder charts above and below and see if you can find 3C 273 visually.<\/p> If you’d like to do more quasar hunting, we would recommend taking a look at the Catalogue of Bright Quasars and BL Lacertae Objects<\/a><\/em>.<\/p> This resource lists many other objects as well as quasars. The quasars are identified in the table by the abbreviation QSO.<\/p> Distances are listed in terms of redshift<\/a> (z). This value is a way of determining an object’s distance at cosmological scales.<\/p>Most distant object with a telescope<\/strong><\/h2>
![\"Hubble](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/04\/quasar-3C-273.jpeg\")
![\"Chart](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/04\/locate-quasar-3C-273-step-01.jpg\")
![\"Chart](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/04\/locate-quasar-3C-273-step-02.jpg\")
Calculating distance using redshift<\/strong><\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2022\/02\/Universe-Redshift-135f961-e1661414636400.jpeg\")