Nice things like the Orion Nebula

[Coconut]

One of the things that have really stirred my interest was the first time I viewed the Orion Nebula (M42 I think) through my 8" dob. I reckon this was the first object I ever saw that wasn't a planet, the moon or a star and it was then I appreciated that one could observe such things with a small telescope.

I understand that M42 is most probably a beginner's Messier object and I have viewed some others (Andromeda - to me a 'smudge', the Pleiades and I think the Beehive cluster), but I have yet to find one so striking.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good novice's Messier object that is similarly impressive and yet fairly easy to observe?

[brantuk]

M13 is a good one, M81 and M82 also (they appear in the same field of view). The Beehive is M44 for you to confirm your sighting. Download Stellarium - it's free and will show you everything in the sky right on your own doorstep in real time

[WayBig]

M3, take your time and gradually crank up the magnification, notice more stars resolving the longer you look, then try it all over again with m53

[Astro Imp]

Although I have not viewed many Messiers the stand out one for me is M44, not too difficult to find and a stunning object just filling the FOV of my 32mm EP with a host of blue/white stars and a couple of red, one almost in the centre. Lovely.

[Ags]

M57 and M27 are wonderful. M13 is my favorite even though my scope is a bit too small to show it well. Double Cluster is amazing too.

[Coconut]

Great - I'll start looking for these. Thanks.

[Scott]

pleiades is one of my favorites. maybe because its the first object (other than planets) that i saw through a telescope. i love how a few stars to the naked eye turns into a sea of stars in your ep.