what is your top five in DSO's?

[bomberbaz]

I haven't seen this question before and so I thought it would be interesting to ask so we can all see what each others preferences are.

I am leaving planets off the vote so this is why i stated DSO's in the title as almost certainly Saturn and Jupiter would dominate.

I also expect a few DSO's to figure strongly but that's why I started to see if there is any common ground.

OK me first, here I go.

Orion Nebula M42

Pleiades M45

Crescent Nebula NGC6888

Ring Nebula M57

M31 Andromeda Galaxy

There are several dso that i thought to put on the list ( Eg, ngc 457 owl cluster) but just couldn't bring myself to get rid of what are largley the better known ones, can't tell you why.

Note: I reserve the right to change any or all in that list at any time. :-D

[estwing]

57,13,51,27.... And the veil

[Superdavo]

M45, the double cluster, M13, M38, and of course, M42 for me!

David

[John]

The Veil, M42, M13, M82 and M27.

[Daniel-K]

From a dark sky :

1. M101
2. M51 
3. The Veil
4. M99
5. NGC 4565

[faulksy]

I love m27,m57, m57,m31, m13

sent from my fone using fingers

[Scooot]

M42, double cluster, m57, m13, owl cluster

[laser_jock99]

#1 Milky Way -no scope needed!

#2 M42 -Nebulas don't get much brighter than this object

#3 Pleiades -the dust patterns are fascinating- good visual object too.

#4 M31 - King of the Galaxies

#5 Finaly I'd like to nominate the whole of Cygnus as it's a complete Ha nebula fest!

[gooseholla]

Andromeda galaxy - no other galaxy in the north beats it for me.

M42 Orion Nebula

Veil Nebula - took me a long time to see but it is gorgeous.

Double Cluster - so beautiful and so many stars.

Whirlpool galaxy

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Maybe one from each category?

Galaxy: I really like Triangulum for some reason. I chose it instead of Andromeda when I had a chance to image it with my camera lenses, despite the smaller size.

Open Cluster: The Pleiades must be hard to beat, either by naked eye, visually or for imaging with that lovely reflection nebulosity.

Globular Cluster: Not sure, I've never viewed one through a telescope or taken more than a test image of one.

Nebula: I love the discovery story of the Squid in the Flying Bat and that it was discovered recently by an amateur, and mystery of what it actually is.

Dark Nebula: Possibly the Horsehead but I need to explore some more, I've very intrigued by the many large ones that show up in my widefields. I like the horseshoe shaped one by IC1396 in Cepheus but I'm not sure what its designation is.

[reddoss]

The Veil

M42

M27

The Bubble Nebula

M51

[Moonshane]

For me :

M42

Veil

M51

NGC891 (only any good at dark skies but an amazing looking galaxy)

M13

[Beulah]

1) Orion Nebula  - can't wait to see it with the 400p under very dark skies this winter...with each aperture increase this stunning DSO just keeps on giving.

2) Veil Nebula

3) M17 - Omega Nebula - I love the Sagittarius area of the sky and always look forward to it coming around..a fascinating object seen through the oiii filter and without filtering.

4) M3 - a fantastic Globular Cluster in Canes Venatici...a lot tidier than M13 and resolves into pinpoint stars under the right skies.

5) M82 - The Cigar Galaxy - I love teasing out the detail in the central core.

Favourites are subject to change, but I haven't been out there with the telescope for over 6 months (due to some huge changes in circumstances) and these guys are the ones I currently miss the most. Cannot wait to get back out there. Although I am using the binoculars, nothing beats a telescope!

[Alkaid]

Am I allowed to mention just the one? For some reason, I really like M11. Perhaps my liking it could also be something to do with the name 'The Wild Duck Cluster'. I like it though because it looks good and despite looking like a Glob, it isn't - it's actually a very tight open cluster.

[Astro Imp]

Hi Steve you really do ask some awkward questions.

In no particular order:-

Double Cluster.

M44.

M31.

Owl Cluster.

Now I'm struggling to select the last on the list, but can't bring myself to leave M13 out.

[pianoman1941]

M45 because it was my first to view with a scope.

M51 because it seems like the easiest to photograph for a galaxy.

Vic