[clyde asbury]

The arm may be seen by looking in the direction of Sagittarius on any clear, dark night--if there are any such nights anymore.

It's relatively rural where I live. Clear summer nights without haze are pretty rare here, but Sagittarius is stunning when you can catch it. Without moonlight, M31 is clearly visible to the unaided eye. M33 is, too - well, maybe. I'm never completely sure I'm seeing it. I have an Astroscan that shows them both well. Galaxy hunting is a treat during late nights in winter.

[RightWhale]

M31 has remained easily seen even while the quality of the night sky has turned to pond scum. If you can see the Square of Pegasus, which is still easy, you can follow the stars over and up and there it is. Even when the dimmest visible star is mag 3, M31 is still there, fuzzy as ever.