Best deep sky objects to view

[petermarknimmo]

Hello,

I have been into astronomy for a few years now and last week just got my first serious telescope - the meade starnavigator 114.

I am very happy with the operation of the telescope, however, as I live in quite a light polluted area, I have found that the best deep sky objects to view are star clusters, and while these are great to look at, once you have seen an open cluster and a globular cluster, well, they all look pretty similar. As I live in quite a built up area, any objects I veiw have to be quite high in the sky. I would also like to add that I have rented telescopes in the past and so I know what to expect from a telescope of its arperture.

Would anybody be able to recommend some deep sky objects (galaxies and nebulas in particular) that are quite high in the sky and bright enough to surpass the effects of light pollution?

Thanks

[mdstuart]

Galaxies and Nebula are difficult with light pollution.

I would try M81/82 which are overhead at the moment..

M94 is a good galaxy to try as well as it has a very bright core for a galaxy..

Mark

[acey]

You could try this list from the American Astronomical League:

Urban Program - Deep Sky Objects List | The Astronomical League

How high an object rises in your sky depends on your latitude: if an object's declination is equal to your latitude then it will pass directly overhead. So to get objects that are as high as possible in your sky you want their declination to be as close as possible to your latitude. For example, M81 has declination 69 degrees (approx.), so if you live at latitude 54 degrees north it will reach just 15 degrees from the zenith, which is pretty high.

For best results you want to observe objects when they are at their highest, i.e. transiting (lying on the meridian). You can find this time for any given date by checking the RA of the object, then using a planisphere which has hours of right ascension marked on it: just set the given RA to coincide with south, find the required date on the planisphere's scale, and read off the time.

Alternatively you could use an app of some kind, such as the one here:

http://norfolkastronomical.org/calculators/TransitTime.html

For example, M81 has RA 9h55min (approx.), which in decimal is 9+(55/60) = 9.92h. Feeding that into the app, along with today's date (3 April 2012) gives a transit time of 9.08pm GMT, 10.08pm BST. That's assuming that the app works - it's just the first thing that came up on Google. Personally I'd stick with a planisphere which is sufficiently accurate for most purposes.

Things may of course be complicated by obstructions or light domes on your southern horizon. Best thing is to try observing and see what works for you.

[Double Kick Drum]

Galaxies and Nebula are difficult with light pollution.

I would try M81/82 which are overhead at the moment..

M94 is a good galaxy to try as well as it has a very bright core for a galaxy..

Mark

I agree with this. Rather than magnitude, it may be worth looking at a few galaxies with a high surface brightness, say =< 13.0

Aswell as the ones mentioned by mdstuart, M64 the Black Eye galaxy (Coma Berenices) gets reasonably high in the sky. M51 the Whirlpool galaxy (Canes Venatici) may be worth a go.

Four in Leo that may tolerate LP are M65, M66, M96 and M105.

NGC 2841 (Ursa Major) is quite bright if you can find it.

Hope that gives you a bit of choice!

[rory]

i take it youve viewed the great nebula in orion ? ( you probably have ,but just in case) it's an easy target and worth the visit, but its going down in the west earlier and earlier now.

other than that id say the most likely candidates are m81/82. nice bright and high.

[Tinker1947]

My 2 pence worth M3, M13, M92 all viewable and very nice....

[petermarknimmo]

Thanks for the recommendations - will be having a good look at these objects.

[cotterless45]

Get "Sky and Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas", it's large pocket sized and packed with

viewable deep sky objects, you can hunt around, beats goto,nice.

[jasonbirder]

You're already know open clusters are a good option for the urban astronomer...so I'll assume you've seen M44 and M67 in Cancer which are nicely situated to view at the moment...

M3 is a spectacular northern Globular Cluster in Canes Venatici, while the famous M81 and M82 in Ursa Major and M51 The Whirlpool Galaxy in Canes Venatici and M64 The Black Eye Galaxy in Coma Berenices are all bright and relatively easy to find (or ill be when the moon disappears!

While not a Messier object NGC2392 The Eskimo Nebula in Gemini is a bright and easy to find planetary nebula that's worth a look too!

[scarp15]

In the coming weeks, M13 in Hercules and M5.

Iain

[faulksy]

and the ring nebula is nice and bright as well