my first nebula!

[KateC]

we've finally got a cloud free evening (hooray!) so I have been outside staring at the Orion nebula for ages tonight, it is amazing!

I have identified one major issue though - if I am going to spend hours staring at the night sky in January I clearly need to invest in thicker socks, it is freezing out there

As a total beginner I'm only just starting to get the hang of figuring out where everything is - M42 was easy enough to find as Orion's belt is easy to identify and I could navigate from there.

Can anyone suggest any other 'easy' targets I can try to look for while I learn my way around the stars? I have got numerous books to read through but there are so many things I could look for, I don't really know where to start!

[Craig20264]

I find Pleiades stunning, even through Bins

[LukeSkywatcher]

Congrats on M42. It is stunning.

You can also try for M45 (The Seven Sisters/Pleaides). Its not a nebula..............but an open cluster. Best views are through bins because you get the full view.

Also have a go with M31 (Andromeda Galaxy).

Then of course there is the double cluster in Perseus.

[foundaplanet]

Try Auriga for the clusters of M36, 37 and 38.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Auriga is AMAZING. There is so much going on there.

[Nosivad]

Hi KateC, how about trying to see the fainter stars in the trapezium in the middle of M42. Your telescope's mirror is the same size as my telescope's so with a high enough magnification you should see more than the the 4 main stars.

Have a look at this website.

The Trapezium, Theta Orionis

[eli71]

I would recomend also the Beehive Cluster- M44(the manger is call in Spain) great with binos.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Other easy targets right now are the planets Jupiter and Mars. Jupiter is so easy and rewarding while Mars is as easy to find but less rewarding.

M44 is stunning. I find it better with bins.

[KateC]

thanks all, great suggestions - I am heading back out into the cold shortly so will see what I can see.

I've seen Jupiter a couple of times now, which is brilliant - I think it is mind blowing to see moons orbiting another planet!

[LukeSkywatcher]

Watching Jupiters moons rotate around the planet over a few hours period is amazing.

[DazC]

Well done on M42, i got my first look at it three days ago. Try looking at saturn, it's visible early in the morning at the minute but as the saying goes "the early bird gets the worm". And what a worm it is!

D.C

[LukeSkywatcher]

The rings of Saturn are currently tilted to about 15 degrees. Should make for great views.