Your Favourite Easy-To-See Object?

[cloudsweeper]

I'm not talking huge apertures and pitch-dark skies here, just kit and conditions that most amateurs work with.

So which easy object do you like most, and never tire of returning to?

For me, it's C14, the Double Cluster in Perseus - utterly mesmerising in its scale and beauty.  (And it's there all year.)

Doug.

[Droogie 2001]

I guess for me its the Moon, M42, double cluster (with a wide field refractor), Jupiter, Mars and of course Saturn.

[John]

The double cluster is certainly one that I return to over and over again with a range of aperture scopes. It's a favourite at public outreach sessions too. M81 and M82 are another favourite stop - I find M82 particularly fascinating at high power teasing out it's dark rifts. Iota Cassiopeiae is a wonderfull triple star that I view very frequently.

These objects are like old friends

 

[Victor Boesen]

M42, M57, saturn, jupiter, the moon and the milky way with the naked eye.

[cloudsweeper]

17 minutes ago, Droogie 2001 said:

I guess for me its the Moon, M42, double cluster (with a wide field refractor), Jupiter, Mars and of course Saturn.

You're dead right about the widefield frac - I'm so glad I acquired one.  It's nice just to scan the sky and marvel at its loveliness, without having any particular target in mind!

Doug.

[Bobby1970]

Double cluster, M42, M57,  Moon, Jupiter

Always re visit these with various scopes. 

 

[Mark at Beaufort]

If we are talking of a quick grab and go session these are my favourites.

M13, M57, M51, M81, M82, M42 and the Double Double in Lyra. With my 15x70 Binos I would add the Double Cluster, NGC 7789, M33. and Kemble's Cascade

[xtreemchaos]

for me in this order Sol ,the moon, m42, m45, saturn, mars, and anything i havnt seen before ,but after 40 or more years there isnt many left to find visable from south wales.  clear sky ,charl.

[Davesellars]

Depends on the scope!

With a refractor certainly the Double Cluster I normally visit mostly every session and check to see if I can see it naked eye as well and as mentioned previously it's an object that's there all year round.

With larger aperture I always stop by M51 - It's a long standing favourite DSO of mine.  Not only is it interesting with plenty of features which appear at different powers but it's a great test of the conditions as long as it's not too low (like now) otherwise M13 is majestic and at the moment I normally start with with this and using nearby NGC6207 as the test of sky transparency.

[Mark at Beaufort]

2 minutes ago, Davesellars said:

 and using nearby NGC6207 as the test of sky transparency.

Totally agree Dave - its a great indicator

[chiltonstar]

Saturn (!!), Pleiades, Wild Duck Cluster and Double Cluster - the last three with low mag and a frac!

Chris

[Ouroboros]

With bins it's M31 - I like to see how visible it is from different locations. It's a good measure of light pollution. In some parts of Cornwall I've seen it with the naked eye using slightly averted vision.  With bins I'm often drawn back to the double cluster in Persius, and I often sweep up the whole of that constellation into Cassiopeia. M42 as others have said is always a favourite.  I often look at the Coathanger which I find a very satisfying asterism. 

[Peter Drew]

The Sun.  

[chiltonstar]

2 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

The Sun.  

.......  an optimist!

[Peter Drew]

Saw it yesterday. 

[Victor Boesen]

13 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

With bins it's M31

why have i never seen m31.. i need to see it one day

[xtreemchaos]

4 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

Saw it yesterday

is it still there  charl.

[johnfosteruk]

14 minutes ago, xtreemchaos said:

is it still there  charl.

Not here it's not!!!

I simply adore M45 and could (have) spend hours looking, it's such a pretty thing at all magnifications I've used from naked eye through bins and the scopes.

Also the Moon, and Sol, just because there's always something different to see from one day to the next (apart from when Sol's blank of course )

[Macavity]

The Pleiades -  And "independently discovered" by me, as a kid!
I kept wondering what this "little cloud" was... Every night?!? 
Just shows how short sighted I am (and neglectful of eye tests!)

My Dad's "slightly dodgy" Binoculars revealed its true identity! 
I have an abiding interest in *Open Clusters* to this day though...

[xtreemchaos]

11 minutes ago, johnfosteruk said:

apart from when Sol's blank of course

arh but its a differnt blank everyday.   charl

[kerrylewis]

Albireo

Whenever I had trouble aligning in the past (and occasionally still!) I would use it as an alignment test because it is so distinctive and unmistakable.

Now it is an old friend that I nod hello to at almost every session- so beautiful 

 

[jabeoo1]

Brocchi's cluster is always amusing.

[Astro Imp]

Moon, double cluster, M31 in bins, I find this a good test of sky quality. As Macavity says I like open clusters.

[Ouroboros]

1 hour ago, Bossen said:

why have i never seen m31.. i need to see it one day

Through bins under dark skies what is striking is the size of it. We all know it's several times larger than the Moon, but it needs to be seen to be believed somehow. 

[cloudsweeper]

Yes, @Astro Imp and @Macavity - Open Clusters are indeed lovely objects to behold!  And the sky is full of 'em.  NGC 6940 in Vulpecula is another favourite, plus several from the Messier Catalogue of course. 

Doug.