Easy targets for a (total) beginner?

[barbusg60]

So far Ive mainly been looking at the planets and the moon but the other nighyt I surprised myself and found (I think) M31.

Are there any other easy targets I could look for until I get more experience?

Thanks in advance,

Rob.

[crashtestdummy]

m13 is a popular one and not too hard to find and the double cluster shouldnt be too hard.i personally started out looking through bino's first to get a good grip of where things are.in the next few months orion comes round then you have the orion nebula and the pleides and the beehive cluster which are all awesome sights to behold and i find its easier to navigate from orion

[Tinker1947]

Download Stellarium and then download some Telrad maps (Google "Telrad Maps") use the maps and Stellarium to find Global Clusters, these are the most visible of the Messier objects....

[NGC 1502]

How about some easy double stars ? At this time of year Albireo in Cygnus, and Gamma Andromeda (Almach) are bright naked eye stars that resolve into lovely coloured double

stars through a scope.

Regards, Ed.

[JamesF]

The Coathanger is fairly easy to find too, and right now M27 and M57 shouldn't be too hard either.

James

[paul schofield]

I think most of the Messier list are considered easy targets, although some are still very difficult. I would definitely look for M13 and M92 in Hercules, M42 Orion Nebula, M46 M47 open clusters in Puppis, M57 Ring Nebula, Mizar, Alcor double in Ursa Major If you have Turn Left at Orion you could always start at the easier targets and work your way up to the harder ones.

[bullettooth]

i always find the views of the double cluster between perseus and cassiopeia amazing. i have to wait till about 1am so it gets high enough to view as there is alot of sky glow in that direction for me. but it looks really nice in a low powered eyepiece and it pretty easy to find.

good luck and clear skies

[Carbon Brush]

The double in the handle of the plough is always a good one.

Is it double by eye? That depends on the person.

Then small scope/binos. Then increase magnification and see what starts to show.