Viewing Pleiades with Bins

[Camkorn]

I am totally new to astronomy but have been loving all the things I have seen with my bins such as the coathanger cluster which was recommended by Talitha!

I saw Mars last night in the NE which was really beautiful although I didn't realise what it was until I looked it up on my "Starry Night" software this morning - at the same time I saw that Pleiades should be quite a good cluster to view with bins - so I was wondeirng if anyone has any recommendations on what I should be looking for and the best time.

Clare.

[Whippy]

The Pleades are IMO best viewed though Bins, the cluster is so wide only bins can really get all of them in the FOV. Saying that, it's a bit early in the year to be viewing them as they won't even be rising over the Eastern horizon until very early in the morning. I'd wait until September/October when they'll be rising up at a sensible hour and it'll still be dark.

Unless you have pretty bad light pollution, some of the brighter stars in the cluster are visible with the naked eye. In my suburban skies, I can make out 5 or 6 stars on an average night.

Tony..