Galaxies listing from easiest to observe

[mdstuart]

Good evening

I have been creating a listing of galaxies (attached). This starts from the brightest and easiest to observe (M31) and then proceeds to list the next 31 that I consider to be the easiest to see. It is in categories from 1 to 6 with 1 being the easiest and 6 being the most challenging.

1 to 3 should be reasonably possible with 10 by 50 binoculars from a reasonably dark sight.

4 to 5 should be picked up with 15 x 70 binoculars.

6 requires a small scope such as a 114mm reflector.

I have gone lower but I thought I would start with the brightest objects. I plan to add pics and some notes soon.

Please feel free to challenge my list!

The list only includes galaxies above an Dec of -30 so is designed for English observers!

Perhaps I will send you a certificate if you can complete "Marks galaxy list".

Enjoy

Mark

Galaxies - easiest to observe listing .doc

[dark knight]

Excellent list Mark, this is really useful having a list consisting of just galaxies, helps organise a nights viewing too.

Carl

[George Jones]

Excellent list Mark, this is really useful having a list consisting of just galaxies, helps organise a nights viewing too.

Carl

Yes, many thanks. Just as I was thinking about googling for exactly this type of a list, up it pops on SGL!

[Capricorn]

Several months back, while a bit bored at work, I got the Messier list from Wikipedia, separated the list into Galaxies, Clusters and Nebulea, the sorted each type by magnitude.

Ended up with the Messier list ordered in the groups and by magnitude. I use this to select on the basis that the brighter the easier.

Added a column I can use for recording the viewing details.

Since Messier managed to list them then I work on the basis that I can see them eventually.

[mdstuart]

Galaxies - easiest to observe listing.doc

I am now adding pictures. It will soon be too big to upload on this site so I will go to plan b adobe?

I am trying to make the images more like you would really see rather than hubble would see.

Mark

[robneath]

Thanks - rather as you would see than Hubble

[Scott Tilley]

Really good Idea, as a relative newbie this will be super useful for me.

Thanks

Scott

[yeti monster]

Just what I need too.......

[kev]

Excellent work, thank you and well done

Kev

[red dwalf]

will enjoy going through the list, many thanks

[Guest]

I would suggest getting a program like Astroplanner which will allow you to generate these kinds of lists very easily for almost any kind of object as well as create finder charts. If you have more money then Skytools 3 would do as well.

Owen

[mdstuart]

Yes but it will only list objects by magnitude of surface brightness which in my opinion does not always give you an indication of the brightness at the eyepeice as a visual observer...

I have carte du ciel which produces lists...in fact I have so many lists I have lists of lists but none of them seem to do what I am doing with this list...

Mark

[Brunty12345]

Thanks Mark

[SteveP]

Mark

Thanks. Should help a lot of people find their way around

Steve

[bish]

Thanks for posting your list, good work. Like you say, listed magnitudes can be misleading compared to what you see. There are a few there I've not yet tried and are quite high on your list so should be not to hard to find.

[glennbech]

How about sharing it on google docs? Then you don't have to upload it all the time :-)

[mdstuart]

I will do. Just want to add the other images and then I will put it on the web..

Mark

[jnp]

Thanks for sharing, very useful. You mention that surface brightness is not the best indicator of ease of seeing, but neither is magnitude? How did you sort the list?

I am encouraged to have found M33 (cat 6!) using my Celestron 15x70 from Reading. Mind you it took numerous failed attempts and was a barely discenable blob on an exceptionally clear night.

Could you change bitmaps so that text searches will work?

cheers

John

[ash]

Excellent work Mark

Thank you for taking the time to produce the Doc.

Andy

[oceanheadted]

[ATTACH]29382[/ATTACH]

I am now adding pictures. It will soon be too big to upload on this site so I will go to plan b adobe?

I am trying to make the images more like you would really see rather than hubble would see.

Mark

Mark I saved the document in pdf format using OpenOffice Writer and it comes in at 85k. I can upload if that would help. Thanks for taking the time to pull this together

cheers

Alan

[mdstuart]

See my other thread on this its now on google docs....

Mark

[Astro_Baby]

Thats great Mark - well done for all the work and I am sure it will be useful for me with my binos cos I am hopeless at finding things.

[russ]

Excellent list Mark.....very helpful indeed!

Russ

[SlipperySquid]

Cheers Mark, tis an excellent tool for us nooblets! Thanks for taking the time!