One for users of 10x50 bins ...

[Demonperformer]

I am compiling a list of objects that can be viewed from southern UK during the rest of the year by a novice using a pair of 10x50 binoculars. This is what I have come up with (or should that be 'this is that up with which I have come'?). I think it gives a good variety with some stuff that might be a bit more challenging. It is fairly open-cluster-heavy, but I guess that is just the time of year we are approaching - and they do tend to look good in bins! Clearly, I will need to provide him with notes as to what he is looking at and how to find them, but I'm not putting all that in this post, just the bare-bones list.

Before I pass it on, are there any objects you think should be included in this list that I have missed, or any objects on the list you think are ridiculously difficult and not worth a novice trying?

Thanks.

The List:
Globular clusters
M 15
M 2

Open clusters
M 34
M 36 [end of year]
M 39 [soon]
M 45 (Pleiades)
M 52
C 41 (Hyades)
NGC 457
NGC 663
NGC 752
NGC 869 } Double
NGC 889 } Cluster
NGC 1647
NGC 7789
Mel 20 (α Per Cluster)

Galaxies
M 31
M 33
NGC 253

Bright Nebula
M 42 [end of year]

Planetary Nebula
NGC 7293 [soon]

Asterism
Kemble's Cascade

Double stars
λ Ari (37")
Σ163 (35")
η Per (28")
15 Tri (143") ! colour contrast
11 Cam (180") ! colour contrast

Variable stars
δ Cep (Cepheid)
β Per (Eclipsing) (Algol)
RZ Cas (Eclipsing)
ρ Per (Semiregular)
μ Cep (Irregular)
R Tri (LPV) [Max ~ 2/10/17 {8/1/17+267}]

[Knighty2112]

With good seeing, dark skies and a very steady hand (or mount), you could also probably just make out M81 & M82 too. I know I have in my 10x50's on occasions. 

[Paul73]

Good idea. I'd add:

M13

M22

M12,10,14

IC4665

M45,

M35,36,37,38

M33

I'll dig out a few more latter.

Paul

PS Have you tried the Binocular Sky website?

 

[Knighty2112]

Oh, M92 too!  

[BinocularSky]

Noting that it's "novice" and that a lot of nominal 10x50s care actually 10x42 or smaller, in no particular order:

Stock 2
Mira will brighten towards the end of the year
I was surprised how easy IC1805 was in 10x42s in strong moonlight last night.
Kemble's Kite
The Queen's kite
Albireo
M27
M35
M41
M42
M50
TX Psc
Pisces Parallelogram
psi-1  Psc
77 Psc
HD8949, 8956
Rho/94 Psc
NGC 752
Lion Cub
beta Cam
Davis’s Dog
HU Tau
NGC 1746

I think η Per is too difficult for a novice. My rule of thumb is that you need darned good optics and a bit of observing skill to split a double when magnification x arcsec approaches 240. NGC 253 might also be a tad tricky, depending on horizon conditions.
 

[BinocularSky]

9 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

PS Have you tried the Binocular Sky website?

That load of dross? Bargepole, mate!

Seriously, @Demonperformer, feel free to play in the "Observing" section and troff anything you like (it's what I put it there for!)

[andrew63]

I'd add M44 the Beehive Cluster, a lovely sight.  From another perspective what about Uranus -  only a bright dot in 10x50s but a thrill to think you have seen a distant planet and watch it move over a few days against the stars.

 

andrew

[harrym]

There's still time to catch M11 this year. The Coathanger cluster is a good binocular object, and no-one's mentioned M71 or M103 yet. M81 should be doable but M82 might have to wait till it's higher in the sky. M32 and M110 are also possible given dark enough skies - I saw them with a pair of 8x56 bins from a site with NELM around 6 when I was a novice.

[Demonperformer]

Thanks, guys.

A lot of what has been mentioned, I avoided because they are listed as "summer" objects and so now past their best.

Some of the clusters (M37, M38, M103) are listed in the books I have as only showing as "a bright glow" in 10x50s. Are they better than that? And with so many other good clusters ...

M44 will certainly go on a list for the new year (if he hasn't been totally scared-off by then!).

I definitely like the idea of Uranus.  And, thinking of SS objects, I wonder how much of the lunar-100 can be done with 10x50 bins?

I will add M81 to the list. Ditto Stock 2.

Steve, I am going to have to check out some of the things you list which are unknown to me. I take your point about the difficult ones. With other options available, I will remove them from the list.

Thanks.

[BinocularSky]

Two more easy ones:

The Leaping Minnow asterism (Aur)
Collinder 70 (the cluster nearly everyone has seen and hardly anyone knows) (Ori)

[Demonperformer]

Is it just me, or does this image of CR70 (from binocularsky.com) look like a swimming swan? (Facing left to right, with two of the belt stars half-way up each side of its wing and the final one being its the beak.)

[BinocularSky]

18 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

Is it just me, or does this image of CR70 (from binocularsky.com) look like a swimming swan?

It does indeed! However, I'm far more self-centred: I merely point out the "S"-shaped curve of stars between Alnilam and Mintaka and tell people it's there as "S for Steve", to remind them who pointed it out to them.

[Stormbringer]

Funny i see an Elephants head with the S as its raised trunk

[Walshie79]

Autumn objects:

M52 should be doable (practically overhead)

M30 and M75 globulars

M77 might just be possible? (M74 no, it's very difficult in 25x70s)

Into winter

M1 I'd imagine can be done in 10x50s, maybe M78 as well

M46 and M47 (easy to locate, follow Sirius/Murzim line to the east)

M48 by the head of Hydra

M67 (harder than M44 but should be visible)

M79 would be a real challenge, I find it hard in the 25x70s because of its low altitude, it should be visible in smaller bins further south.