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Easy target

GabsGiggles

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Spend some time looking at the Moon, never ceases to impress. A few that spring to mind are Albireo (double star), Perseus double cluster and M31 (galaxy). The ghost of mirach is easy to find as it's right next to mirach, although it would help if we knew what equipment you are using. There are loads more that no doubt others will suggest, but the ones mentioned are just a few that should be fairly easy to find.

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The pleiades (m45), a large star cluster, always looks really gorgeous. And how about m42, the nebula in orion (in the sword)? Clear skies!

Can't believe I forgot to mention m42! Has to be the no.1 DSO target for beginners.

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WaveSoarer

WaveSoarer

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The Orion nebula is terrific. Very bright and I found it quite spooky the first time I viewed it. For me, it's not so much the bright glow but the dark band of dust that crosses it, rather like a finger, that really makes it a visual treat. At the end of this dark dust band is a very bright set of stars called the trapezium. Amazing. If you can see it at from your location the Andromeda galaxy is fairly easy to find. There isn't a huge amount of detail but the core is fairly bright and the surrounds form a pleasing extended ellipse. There is also a smaller, bright companion galaxy close to it which shares the field of view at sufficiently low magnification. The more confident you become in star hopping another, relatively easy, target to go for is the ring nebula which is a bright planetary nebula and is very impressive. M13 is a globular cluster not too far from the ring nebula and this also has that wow factor.

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GabsGiggles

GabsGiggles

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Thanks so much for all your suggestions.

Tonight I saw Cassiopeia Double Cluster, Orion Nebula and The Pleiades ( I was surprised at how faint they were to the naked eye, almost imperceptible. In fact the people who were with me didn't see them at all, for a moment I thought it was my imagination until I spotted them with the scope. This city is more light polluted than I thought).

It was such a beautiful sight. It was an amazing feeling to witness the Universe itself with my own eyes. I'm at a loss for words.

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cs1cjc

cs1cjc

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Nobody has yet mentioned your first galaxy which will be Andromeda (M31), high in the sky at present. Look also for its two satellites M32 and M101. If you find M31 via the star Mirach (pointed to by the right hand V of the Cassiopeia W) be sure to look at the star field around Mirach closely and you may be able to see the faint galaxy NGC 404, the Ghost of Mirach. M33 is about the same distance from Mirach as M31 and directly opposite.

Your next two galaxies may be M81 and M82, but they are not ideally placed at present.

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GabsGiggles

GabsGiggles

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Hehe that's true. Actually, M31 is the next on my list. I'll make sure to see all your suggestions.

Thanks :D

Nobody has yet mentioned your first galaxy which will be Andromeda (M31), high in the sky at present. Look also for its two satellites M32 and M101. If you find M31 via the star Mirach (pointed to by the right hand V of the Cassiopeia W) be sure to look at the star field around Mirach closely and you may be able to see the faint galaxy NGC 404, the Ghost of Mirach. M33 is about the same distance from Mirach as M31 and directly opposite.

Your next two galaxies may be M81 and M82, but they are not ideally placed at present.

Except for the first reply, you mean? :)

James

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