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What should I learn to look for first?


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Silly question, but we all need to start somewhere, so what are the things I should learn to look for first?

I can spot the moon, no too hard, Jupiter, the North star, Orion and that's about it.

My new binocs should arrive any time from Monday onwards and I'm looking forward to a clear patch of sky which is due some time in October, that is if it ever stops raining. :-(

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Download Stellarium to help you find stuff. The following would make nice binocular targets for starters:

1. The great Orion nebula - M42. It will look like a fuzzy patch in the belt of Orion.

2. The double cluster in Perseus.

3. The andromeda galaxy: M31. This will look like an oval fuzzy patch.

4. The Pleiades. This is a great binocular open cluster.

5. M13, the great globular cluster in Hercules.

6. Scan the milky way in Cygnus. It's overhead right now. Look for The Coathanger, an asterism near Albireo (the head of Cygnus).

7. You can see many of the clusters and nebulae in Sagittarius. For example, M8, M17, M25, M20, M23, M22 (a globular cluster).

8. The Wild Duck Cluster (M11).

9. The clusters in Auriga: M36, M37, M38.

10. Jupiter's moons.

If you're after tougher targets then try:

1. M27, the Dumbell Nebula.

2. M33, the pinwheel galaxy.

3. M81 and M82. A pair of bright but small galaxies in Ursa Major. They will appear together in the same field of view.

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Don't take this wrong but a couple of decent books that you find you can follow will be the best.

Many will list the Messier objects, although often by numerical order, and really by type and magnitude could be better. As in look for clusters that are brighter then mag 6 for example, or the brighter galaxies.

Also a list of double stars could be useful, coloured ones make it a more interesting. Astronomical Data - Colored Double Stars

Wikioedia have a list of Messier objects and if you copy and save it then you can rearrange it. It would pass a hour on a wet afternoon.

Have a look at the RASC site, somewhere in it they list observing notes for their certificate. Royal Astrononomical Society of Canada - Observing | Certificates

Then try The Astro League: The Astronomical League they have sections and list for various things.

Throw a location in your details or signature, always useful as someone may be 2 doors away from you and never know it.

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Your local book shop should stock a number of astro ttiles in the popular science section, and don't forget to check your local library! A book often suggested for learning the sky is Turn Left At Orion or you can look out for starmaps and/or planespheres. Last but not least are the planetarium software packages such as Stellarium.

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Have a look at the sticky in our observing with bins section, you will see a reference to Touring the Universe Through Bins Atlas, if you download the program it will give you star maps, which you can reconfigure to suit what you want to observe with as many, or just a few major stars to start with, which you can print out to to take outside with you, black and white or even in colour, your choice, together with Stellarium you can learn to pick out the Constellations and begin star hopping to your chosen targets, enjoy your new binos when they come :)

John.

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Hi and welcome to SGL.

Objects that I keep going back to and that are easy to find:

M45 (Pleiades open cluster) in Taurus

M42 (Emission Nebula) in Orion

M13 (Globular cluster) in Hercules

Double Cluster NGC 869 & 884 (Open Clusters) in Perseus

I have the book 'Turn Left at Orion' which I've found good but even better is ...

Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders by Robert Bruce Thompson & Barbara Fritchman Thompson, publisher is O'Reilly

This book was recently recommended in another thread on SGL. I bought a copy from a well known online bookshop and I think it's fantastic. It is full of useful information including lists of good targets sorted by constellation as well as guidance on how to get started. A great book for all abilities and it will certainly be my main reference book from now on.

Happy hunting :)

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Hi and welcome.

I'll give another vote for getting Stellarium and a good book. try and grab an eyefull of the double cluster in Cassiopia I'll try and look up the NGC numbers for you. I think they constitute the handle of perseus's sword. The two open star clusters will look fab through Bins :)

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In addition to the recommendations of Turn Left At Orion I'd go straight out and hunt for planets. You can't miss Jupiter at this time of the year. Bright and so long as you know roughly where East is you can pick out really easily. It's moons are also another binocular target too, all it needs is a steady hand :-)

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Hi and welcome to SGL.

Objects that I keep going back to and that are easy to find:

M45 (Pleiades open cluster) in Taurus

M42 (Emission Nebula) in Orion

M13 (Globular cluster) in Hercules

Double Cluster NGC 869 & 884 (Open Clusters) in Perseus

I have the book 'Turn Left at Orion' which I've found good but even better is ...

Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders by Robert Bruce Thompson & Barbara Fritchman Thompson, publisher is O'Reilly

This book was recently recommended in another thread on SGL. I bought a copy from a well known online bookshop and I think it's fantastic. It is full of useful information including lists of good targets sorted by constellation as well as guidance on how to get started. A great book for all abilities and it will certainly be my main reference book from now on.

Happy hunting :)

I second the Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders, it is a great read.

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