Starter objects?

[Joeistotalycool]

Recently I bought a skywatcher ed80 doublet refractor and I am running a cg5 advanced gt mount. I tried the pinwheel galaxy and it turned out.... OK I guess. You could just make out the arms of the cores of both galaxies so I guessed it worked. This is my first time getting a good quality telescope for astrophotography as my old ota was from the celestron eq 130. I am in the UK if you are wondering.

[wookie1965]

Visual only and from light polluted skies an good friend on here Nick (cotterless45) told me go for clusters and doubles and triples I have had more enjoyment since then. I leave the Galaxies for dark skies except the really bright ones (M31) 

[AKB]

"Turn Left at Orion" would be a great book to invest in... it tells you how things look in small- and medium-sized 'scopes, and what to look for on an seasonal basis.  Really highly recommended.

[jabeoo1]

M13, M57, Jupiter, Saturn & The Moon should keep you busy

[pipnina]

In binoculars, sometimes M16 & the omega nebula can be as easy as M31 to see. Depends on where your light dome comes from. I was lucky to see them through my binoculars last month. But you'll never now if you don't try so you might as well try for them.

In fact, try for every object you think you want to see! Sometimes you can be surprised

 

edit: just checked section... Might not apply to photography but hey my point still stands I guess

[happy-kat]

There is a handy tool in the links where you plug your telescope and camera to see how each DSO you select is sized for your combination. Is you camera modified?

Edit: link added for the imaging tool (the tool covers observing and imaging just select the tab you want)

Link here

[ronin]

Are you asking about other objects to image ? Not about objects to look at.

If Visual then 2 options are to:

Google "list of messier objects" and pull up the Wiki page, that give a useful table that can be sorted by type and you pick the big/bright ones from the catagories.

Load up Stellarium, set it up (suspect you may have already) and press F4, then set the DSO magnitude to 6 and apply it. That way all the dim ones are removed. That leave the easier ones to look at.

If Imaging then again try the Wiki Messier list, each has an image. One problem is that Messier sort of identified all the "easy" ones so you end up imaging the Messier objects, at least initially. That means that anything that is not a Messier tends to be more difficult. M31 is often spoken of but M31 is big.

More difficult imaging options would be the Caldwell Catalogue and something like Arps Peculiar Galaxies.

OPPS: Apologies about the reference to "Visual" just read the post is in DSO Imaging, I sort of jumped in from the recent posts listed down the side of the front page and that does not indicate the section the post was made. And I never read the very top bit.

Think other people have done the same however.

[AKB]

36 minutes ago, ronin said:

Think other people have done the same however.

...yes indeed, my mistake, same reason.

Something to think of for imaging, perhaps, is 

The Astrophotography Sky Atlas Paperback – 22 Nov 2015

by Charles Bracken 

...available at an online bookstore near you.  I don't actually have it yet, it's on my wish list, but it seemed like the imaging equivalent of TLAO from the description.

Would be interested in feedback on this from anyone who has this!!

[happy-kat]

As your are in the UK a read often mentioned is 'making every photon count' if starting out in imaging. There might be some tips to help you with your existing equipment.

[newbie alert]

M51 is brighter than the pinwheel.

M27 and 57 are fairly bright..id say m31 is big but fairly hard to image because of its bright core and faint dust lanes..albireo is a great target too but depends on your field of vision

[Knight of Clear Skies]

M101 has quite low surface brightness compared to other galaxies, others such as M51 and M81/M82 are easier to see and image. Here's a few comparison shots which show apparent size and relative brightness of a few DSOs, they are all 2 minute exposures with a modded DSLR.

[Rodd]

Galaxies are tough in small scopes--need a longer focal length to really "get them"  here are a few that will knock you socks off

Rosette Nebula

Horsehead Complex

Jellyfish Nebula

California Nebula

The Sadr Region in Cygnus

North American/Pelican Nebula

Flaming Star Nebula

Tadpole Nebula

Bubble and Claw Nebula region

Cave Nebula Region

 

The list goes on.  80mm is  fantastic for imaging---Good luck! and watch out.......there is no cure.

Rodd