see a galaxy through a telescope

that’s how I did it. John Dobson, inventor of the Dobsonian telescope, popularizes amateur astronomy in the Bay Area through Sidewalk Astronomers. He teaches how to build telescopes, and then has star parties.

This concept has caught on all over the place. On the Big Island there are star parties at the visitors center on Mauna Kea.

A little google search and you should be able to hook up with a star party near where you are. Popular spots are local mountains, where the air is clear and there is a little less atmosphere to see through.

I have not seen this nebula though.