What should i view?

[tyler_jrb]

Just thought id quickly ask. When the weather finally clear's up what should I try to see. Through my scope ive mainly been looking at the planets when the weather was fine but ive only managed to look at a few deep space objects. Mainly the orion nebula, pleiades, double cluster near cassiopeia and a few others. All of these blew me away and I just really want to try see more, especially the andromeda galaxy or the whirlpool galaxy. I know they may appear as a cloudy blob but for me it will be my first galaxy and to actually look at one for the first time would be great. Ive tried a few times to look for the whirlpool galaxy but i couldnt find it, and the times ive tried for the andromeda galaxy it was much too low behind trees in my garden. So basically i just want some recommendation on dso's to look at when the weather clears up. Mainly some easy galaxy's, clusters, double stars, nebula. That should be acheiveable with my skywatcher 150p(6"). and some that may require a challenge but that are a must see and atleast worth a try. the skies around me are pretty clear as i live in a village but there is some light pollution in the north due to a large town about 50miles away.

Thanks all, tyler.b.

[swamp thing]

Hi Tyler

Why not start with a trip down the milky way?

Start overhead in Cygnus, then make your way slowly down the sky towards the south. Tracing the mily way as you go. There are so many clusters nebulae etc you'll find one eventually. The Autumn is the time to hunt for the great Galaxies in andromeda and Triangulum this is when they get highest in the sky.

Galaxies need dark skies above all else to be seen at their best. Seek out the darkest sky you can possibly get too, then begin your hunt.

The other time for galaxies is the spring when we can look out of the milky way into the dark reaches of intergalactic space. The constellations of Leo, Virgo and Coma have a huge amount of Galaxies in them.

Summer is Globular cluster season.

[Tinker1947]

Globular Clusters would be the best to search out and view, there are loads out there, Check them out in Stellarium for where you get go views...

[scarp15]

If you haven't already then consider getting a copy of 'Turn Left at Orion', complement this with downloading www.Stellarium.org and your off!

[WaveSoarer]

I agree with Iain. Turn Left at Orion is a great book and provides you with a good description of what you should expect to see for the sky conditions. It also gives you clear instructions on how to find the obects via star hopping. I find Stellarium really useful for the star hopping part as it includes the fainter nearer stars that are especially useful for homing in on the fainter objects.

Dave

[Double Kick Drum]

Globular Clusters would be the best to search out and view, there are loads out there, Check them out in Stellarium for where you get go views...

Agreed. While there out, i'd go for M13, M92 and M5. Three of the brightest globs visible from Northern latitudes.

M39 in Cygnus is a nice open cluster to see too.

Happy hunting!

[Moonshane]

some good suggestions above. see also my thread which gives a few more

[Moonshane]

ps I'd recommed Sky&Telescope's Pocket Star Atlas http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317 (although I've seen it cheaper) and a Telrad or red dot finder if you don't have them.