Whats your favourite?

[Vince1963]

I have been wondering... Whats the first thing you go to look at when you look towards the heavens? and what is your favourite object?. Me personally find my eyes are always drawn to Pleiades i never get tired of looking at it, Then i always seem to look towards Orion and its nebula. These two things are so prominent in the sky it seems it would be difficult to ignore them. But if i was to say what is my Favourite then it would have to be ETA Carinae nebular NGC3372... I wish i'd been around in the 1800s when it erupted, To me it represents the true power of nature, Can you imaging being able to see this wonderful object in broad day light?, I bet everyone who saw it back then thought the end of the world was coming. What i cant get my head round is the size of the alpha star..... not only is it the brightest star in the southern hemisphere but the sheer size of it amazes me at about 150 solar masses... WOW!.. I think when it does go supernova ( which it will one day) i hope it doesn't take Earth out... Anyway going back to what i was saying.. I would love to see it, But as its in the southern hemisphere thats not going to happen for me now,.

[Double Kick Drum]

Given that my galaxy count has moved from about 15 to about 120 in the past year, I would have to say the Virgo / Coma / Canes Venatici area is amazing.

I love any object that gives away more than a fuzzy blob. Some individual favourites are the Orion/de Mairan's nebula, the Veil nebula, M57 (the Ring nebula), NGC 4565 (the Needle galaxy), NGC 4631 (the Whale galaxy), M104 (the Sombrero galaxy) and NGC 7789 (Caroline's Rose Cluster). Funny how the interesting one's all have popular names!

[Vince1963]

WOW.. you've seen some cool stuff there Double kick drum.. I find a lot of the objects you mentioned though don't look much through a 200mm reflector (without the aid of CCD).... Is the NGC 4631 visible through a 8"?

[Mansnake]

I'm still waiting to see the Pleiades with my bins and hopefully now winter is coming the weather will allow me too. I'm sure ill have many more when i get my scope!

[Vince1963]

Hi Lewis i guess your referring to the clouds?.. Hope you get clear sky's soon

[John]

In the summer / autumn I invariably am drawn to the Veil nebula complex - it's my favourite object of that season. In the winter months the galaxies M81 and M82 are a lovely stopping off point plus the amazing Orion Nebula of course.

[swamp thing]

This winter I'm going after the horsehead nebula.

[saturn4me]

All year round its our Moon,the real jewel in our crown!

Then its Jupiter, Saturn and Mars!

In the winter though its Orion that has pride of place!

[Astro Imp]

M44 does it for me, and M45 has a special place as it's the first cluster I saw when I got my scope.

[Vince1963]

In the summer / autumn I invariably am drawn to the Veil nebula complex - it's my favourite object of that season. In the winter months the galaxies M81 and M82 are a lovely stopping off point plus the amazing Orion Nebula of course.

Hi John... I haven't had any success yet at NGC6992. maybe the conditions haven't been quite right, maybe it will come now Cygnus is high in the early morning sky. I have managed to see M81 M82 in Ursa major

[badgerchap]

I would have to say M13, it's like a lovely bag of jewels. But in fact the first thing I look at in the heavens is usually cloud, cloud and more cloud. Wish I lived in the SH - I'd love to see the LMC and SMC

[Vince1963]

I May have to start a new post called... I LIKE ALL CLUSTERS. lol

[Mike73]

Its so tough to decide....I've really enjoyed the late summer globular fest but I just couldnt get enough of the spring galaxies.......I dunno...I give up as I've seen so many amazing objects I just cant pick a clear winner!

[knobby]

Yep , me too Hercules cluster, just awesome !

[Hawksmoor]

Most good viewing nights when above my horizons I look for (with scope and/or bins):

The Double Cluster

The Pleiades

The Orion Nebula

The Andromeda Galaxy

The Triangulum Galaxy

Mizar and Alcor

Albireo

The Double Double in Lyra

The two large Globular Cluster in Hercules

With my scope: The Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars are always worth a look. Truth is, with the whole Universe moving constantly day and night over your backyard, you are spoilt for choice!