New to DSF

[Mark SW]

First of all thank you.I observe through a 12 " Sky-Watcher from Colorado and
Am interstered in Plantetary nebulae and galaxies my eyepieces are Celestron 32 mm
Explore Scientific 16 mm and Orion 6 mm. My atlas is Sky Atlas2000
Since I have only been
observing for about 4 years I do not have much of a list built up.
M11, 27 76 31 13 51...
My question is where can I find list's that suit my ( small) 12" dob?

Mark

[Howard B]

Hi Mark,

You might want to start with the Messier list. Observing all 109 objects will not only be enjoyable but it will give you a good direction on what you want to focus your future observing on.

[Dragan]

Hi Mark,

Welcome to DSF! Howard gave sound advice. Messier, Caldwell, many NGC's are all in range of your scope. Many will be dependent on skies, conditions, optics and observer skills. I don't know of any one particular "list" but a good place to start would be our own OOTW's. Though most objects in the OOTW are geared for scopes in the 15-18" and up class, do not let that discourage you. Many objects are visible in scopes down to 8". So pick your way through the PDF's and discover what you can see. You may just be surprised!

And as your skillset improves, the number of new/fainter objects you can see will also increase as well new details in previous objects. Just give it a go! :D

And again, welcome to DSF!

[Steve Gottlieb]

Mark, beyond the Messier list I would recommend taking a look at the 500+ deep sky objects in the Orion Deep Map 600. I picked these objects as they were all good targets in an 8"-10" scope (or larger) from a dark site.

You can download this list in Excel format at http://www.astronomy-mall.com/Adventures.In.Deep.Space/catalogs.htm

[Paul Alsing]

My own advise would be to go to this Ray Cash page...

http://www.raycash.us/astroimages/dm600.htm

... where you will find several valuable links, starting with the Deep Sky 600 map, created in part by our own DSF contributor and deep-sky guru Steve Gottlieb. Also on that page are links to Steve's lists of objects included on that map. These lists will keep you busy exploring the skies throughout the year for a long time, whether or not you end up buying the map or not... but everyone should have the map, as it is a handy pull-it-out-in-a-heartbeat representation of the sky.

After you have exhausted this list, I would suggest that you check out the Lorenzin 2000+, created by the late, great Tomm Lorenzin. Tomm wrote in an easy-going, fun style, and his list contains all kinds of stuff. Find it here...

http://www.1000plus.com/2000plus/

As you grow more proficient in learning the skies and want to expand your observing horizons even more, the next logical step might be to download the various free guides as created by our own generous DSF contributor Alvin Huey, found here...

http://faintfuzzies.com/DownloadableObservingGuides2.html

These guides are an inexhaustible source of objects to observe, so knock yourself out.

Of course, there are untold other lists floating around out there, so the sky is literally the limit in this regard.

Have fun!

[Ciel Extreme]

I can certainly endorse all the options presented so far. One more I would like to mention is the various lists that are published annually in the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s Observer’s Handbook. In addition to the Messier Catalogue published in the Handbook, there is Alan Dyer’s selection of The Finest NGC Objects: a list of 109 of the most spectacular objects in Dreyer’s catalogue, Paul Gray’s Dark Nebulae: 38 of the most prominent objects in this class, Alan Dyer’s and Alister Ling’s Deep Sky Challenge Objects: 45 exotic objects visible in amateur telescopes, Deep Sky Gems: a selection of David Levy’s favourite deep sky objects, Chris Beckett’s Wide Field Wonders: a collection of spectacular and/or challenging objects for binoculars and rich field telescopes, and Alan Whitman’s Southern Hemisphere Splendours: 74 of the best deep sky objects in the southern sky. The advantage of these lists are that they are for the most part short: lists that are challenging yet doable in relatively short periods of time, which I think is important for new and/or inexperienced observers. A list of a few dozen or perhaps a hundred objects can be mastered in a year or so by a new observer, giving a real sense of achievement and accomplishment for the novice observer. The 2015 edition of the Observer’s Handbook has just been published and can be ordered at: www.rasc.ca

[Mark SW]

Thanks for all the information. This should keep me looking up for awhile.