Mirach is your guide star to finding 3 galaxies

Mirach, otherwise known as Beta Andromedae, is a moderately bright star situated within the constellation Andromeda. This star boasts a larger and more massive size compared to our sun, boasting about three to four times the sun's mass and 100 times the sun’s diameter. It emits approximately 1,900 times the total brightness of our sun.

Mirach is recognized as a red giant star, in the final stage of its evolution. The outer layers of this star have expanded, though it resides at a considerable distance of 200 light-years from Earth, causing it to appear dimly at 2nd magnitude in our sky, despite its brightness.

This star plays a crucial role for stargazers. Amateur astronomers often utilize it as a guide to locate three galaxies: the Andromeda galaxy (M31), the Triangulum galaxy (M33), and a galaxy known as Mirach's Ghost (NGC 404).

The Andromeda galaxy is visible to the unaided eye or binoculars under a dark, moonless sky. The other two galaxies, however, are significantly fainter and likely require a telescope to observe.

To find the Andromeda galaxy (M31), draw an imaginary line from Mirach to the star Mu (µ) Andromedae. Continue extending this line roughly the same distance to locate the Andromeda Galaxy.

The Triangulum galaxy (M33), positioned within the constellation Triangulum, is much fainter than the Andromeda Galaxy. Rarely can individuals with exceptional eyesight spot it without the aid of telescopes or binoculars in optimal viewing conditions. Despite this difficulty, it remains a challenging find even with binoculars and small telescopes.