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Easiest Messier Object to spot

Tutankhpip

By Tutankhpip
in Observing - Deep Sky

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brantuk

brantuk

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Well - it's not up at the moment but M31 is a naked eye object (just) and easilly viewed in binocs - so with a scope and a widefield low power e/p you should be laughing. Otherwise known as NGC224 this is the Great Nebula in Andromeda. Late summer is probably a good time to find it :D

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Keiran

Keiran

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Its surprising but we get a few "I can't find M57" threads on SGL every year. I think the small size throws people off when they search for it at low power.

I had a go the other day for the first time, wide angle viewing and then got a few 30 sec subs with my A100, and it came out okay, and that was only 30 secs.... and it probably compared with what i saw visually.

When i get my data cable for my DSLR... longer Exposures will be coming and that will hopefully mean beter, closer photos :D

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russ

russ

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You can't see it right now but M45 has got to be the easiest.

In simple terms of the easiest to see it has to be M45 without question. But right now i would go with the one of the globs. M3 is easy to spot with binos. And M13 is now up by nightfall.

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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pleiades was my first and imo the easiest messier... m13 was the easiest unseen messier so far for me to locate... dont even go there with the leo triplets... still havent nailed those suckers yet!

I'd probably agree with this.

you cannot get easier than looking up with your eyes and oh, there it is! also nearly everyone who is Astro or not 'knows' the seven sisters/little plough.

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

Posted
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Title says it all really. Just wondering which is the easiest or best to view with my equipment. Haven't got myself a Barlow yet but I'm working on it.

Thanks in advance guys

It depends on the time of year. There are so many easy Messier targets in any given month. You dont need a Barlow to see them.

I spotted M57 (the ring nebula) few nights ago. The Dumbbelll is close by......................thats my next object.

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TheThing

TheThing

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Well - it's not up at the moment but M31 is a naked eye object (just)...

Sorry to disagree Kim, but M31 is NOT a naked eye object or even easy to find if you have any sort of light pollution! It took me two years to find it living in NE Surrey/SW London, as it is virtually impossible to see even telescopically!

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acey

acey

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Messier included three large naked-eye objects known since ancient times: M31, M44 and M45 (obviously they all need a dark enough sky to be naked eye: you can't see any of them in day-time). These are the easiest Messier objects. M45 seems to have been thrown in to pad out the list; it's clearly not a "nebula" (the nebulosity around Merope was not seen until the 19th century). Messier could just as well have included the Double Cluster which had been known for about a thousand years, but didn't bother.

M102 is a nonexistent object (it was "discovered" by Mechain who subsequently realised he'd simply reobserved M101) so this could be called the hardest object, since it's impossible to see; or else the easiest, since you can add it to your Messier list for free. Or one of the harder ones, if you consider it equal to M101. Various other objects have been identified with M102 but these are all modern attributions and have no historical basis.

The objects from M103 to M109 were all too hard for Messier: they were never in his list. They were given their "Messier" nomenclature in modern times (between the 1920s and 1960s).

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brantuk

brantuk

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You're entirely right Hugh - from London and environs it's gotta be impossible to see M31. In fact - even I can't see it naked eye from a dark sight. But my g/f can - then again - her eyesight's better than mine and I'm dead jealous lol I need binocs at least.

Looks like Acey and I have been reading the same text at some point - thanks Acey :D

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george7378

george7378

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Overall, I'd say the Pleiades (M45) as they give a great low-magnification telescopic view as well as an easy naked eye target. Also, M31 gives great low magnification views.

At the moment, I think it is either M81/M82 (lots of pointer stars nearby) or M3 (slightly brighter, but more isolated).

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barkis

barkis

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Not the easiest to see, but one I favour, lodged in the Scutum Star Clouds, is Messier11, The Wild Duck cluster.

Trouble is, it is quite low in the sky, so a good Southern Horizon is a must. Also a Richest Field scope is bestest for this :D.

It will transit about 3:00am if you want to stay up that late.

Ron.

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  • 2 weeks later...
bish

bish

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M45 and M42 by far the easiest. If you have a really dark sight then M31, M36 and M37 are naked eye too (with no light pollution - might need to travel for that!). M27 is quite easy as it is relatively big and quite bright (Altair is a good starting point, then move up to Sagitta and it's not far up from the 4th star from the right - sort of!). M13 is easy once you can identify the 'keystone' asterism in Hercules. M57 appears easier than it is - as mentioned above it's often overlooked as it's very small.

Outside of the Messier's is the double cluster - great in a small scope.

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