TOP TEN

[Terry]

Hi All

I am a complete novice with only a couple of hours viewing under my belt. Excluding the moon and planets, what would you recommend as the top 10 objects for me to look for to show a variety of things, (clusters, galaxies etc) and increase my knowledge of the skies and using my equipment. I have an Explorer 130 PM and will be usiing RA/Dec settings which I will be taking from Stelarium. Thanks in advance.

Terry

[Kai]

It depends what time of year you are looking.

At the moment Number 1 would be M42 the Orion Nebula.

I use "Turn Left at Orion" to look at each seasons highlights , a excellent book imo

[Terry]

Hi Kai

That was quick. What I'm looking to do is spread this little project over the year. Thanks for the advice I'll put it top of the list.

Terry

[Whippy]

Hi Terry, I started this thread a little while back with people like you in mind . http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,35889.0.html .

Tony..

[Planet Guy]

Defiantly the Orion Nebula. I also like M41 next to Sirius, as it is the first star cluster I saw through the telescope. The Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070) in the Large Magellanic Cloud is also great.

[Capricorn]

Started to create a similar spreadshhet, want to have a list of things and record how well they appeared in different optics. Various binoculars and small scopes.

This is the first 10 or so that I started with.

Name Designation

Orion Nebulea M42/M43

Andromeda M31

Alberio Double star

Pleiades M45

Crab Nebulea M1

Open Cluster M41

Galaxy: Ursa Major M82

Galaxy: Ursa Major M81

Mizor/Alcor Double Star

Whirlpool Galaxy M51

Globular Cluster M31

Haven't done much with it in the last couple of months = cloud and cold.

[dogfish]

Good idea to have a list of targets. You will probably struggle to see the Crab in a small scope unless you have excellent skies. The list could do with a couple of planetary nebulae IMO. The best (and easiest to see) are the Dumbell (M27) and the Ring (M57).

Enjoy the hunt.

Cheers, Martin

[Capricorn]

I made my list based on known objects, then I record if the view is good, fair, poor, bad. I find it is good to have an idea of what I can see with the various bits of equipment.

If you want a list of objects that are easy to see then that would be different, since as dogfish says some will not be easy, included Crab as people know of it.

One thing that is not there is the simple single stars. They can be very different and it could be interesting to have half a dozen in a list to show the differences. Compare Betelgeuse to Sirius for colour.

Forget which is the variable star up there that has a short period of variability.

[barkis]

Algol, Beta Persei is a variable with a short period, it dims about 30% of normal every 2.8 days.

Another lovely coloured double star is Gamma Andromeda.

M11 The Wild Duck Cluster in Scutum is a nice object.

Ron.

[Wedge]

The Pleiades cluster is absolutely amazing through a 'scope! I personally use 30x magnification on it, and there are simply so many stars!!

Remy

[John]

I always think one of the best deep sky objects in any scope (or even decent binoculars) is the double open cluster in Perseus also know as the "Sword Handle". It's official names are NGC 869 and NGC 884. It / they can be found below Casseopeia. A low power eyepiece should squeeze both custers into the field of view and it is a stunning site through a moderate scope IMHO.

John

[Sam]

My favourite objects are:

1. M42, Orion Nebula - really bright and easy to see.

2. M31, Andomeda Galaxy - quite bright in the centre - much fainter further out.

3. M45, Pleiades Cluster - lovely blue stars - very nice to observe.

4. M44, Beehive Cluster - really nice big cluster.

5. Virgo Galaxies, might be a bit of a struggle but there's a heaps of galacies.

6. M57, Dumbbell Nebula - big, bright and easy to see.

7. M27, Ring Nebula - small but distinctive.

8. M3, Nice big bright Globular Cluster.

9. M51, Whirlpool Galaxy, might be a bit of a challenge in a smaller scope but worth the view as it's a nich bright galaxy where details can quite easily be picked up.

10. The double double in Lyra - try and split the doubles.

Sam

[bigdaz]

hi guys

does anybody know what lenses i sould be using to view the Orion Nebula through my meade ext60.

the scope has a focal length of 350mm and currently have a 9mm eyepiece and a 25mm eyepiece.

the scope has a goto function.

thank you

daz

[John]

hi guys

does anybody know what lenses i sould be using to view the Orion Nebula through my meade ext60.

the scope has a focal length of 350mm and currently have a 9mm eyepiece and a 25mm eyepiece.

the scope has a goto function.

thank you

daz

Use the lowest power eyepiece to start with (the 25mm) and then use the 9mm to get a closer look.

John

[proflight2000]

Id have to go for the ring nebula, that find stunned me the first time I saw it, then I managed to get a photograph as well and was, well "over the moon"