Easy objects to observe for beginners

[Wiltshiresaint]

What a great thread, I have this one is bookmarked.

I'm with the votes for M42, and of course Saturn and Jupiter are always impressive. I'm a great fan of Auriga and it's Messier objects now too, it being the first constellation I looked at and searched seriously, but I think for a complete newbie it's probably not as impressive as some of the other targets mentioned here.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

My four DSO seasonal favourites:

In spring M81/2

In summer M57

In autumn the double star cluster of Perseus

In winter M42

Honourable mention: M13 this was my first DSO identified from my first star map in "Astronomy with Binoculars". When I got my C8 it was the first DSO I looked for, and it blew me away. Suddenly no longer a smudge, but an explosion of stars.

[jimhaleysscomet]

Forgive me for a slight thread highjack....

How do you all put a map in the post and what program do you use to create the map?