Six deep-sky sights for visual observing
With the entire Universe in front of you, one of the biggest dilemmas of any observing session is deciding what to look at, so here’s our top selection of deep-sky objects you can see visually. The sketches below show what you should hope to see at the eyepiece of a scope in the 6 to 8 inch aperture range. M45 is shown as seen through binoculars due to its size.
The Pleiades, M45
What A fantastic open star cluster, easily found in the night sky. Commonly known as the Seven Sisters, this sparkling cluster contains hot blue stars formed within the last 100 million years.
Where Located within the constellation of Taurus, star hop from Orion to locate the red star Aldebaran. Further on from Aldebaran, your eyes will fall upon this fuzzy cluster of stars.
When November to February
How to observe Naked eye or binoculars
Difficulty rating Easy
Andromeda Galaxy, M31
What A beautiful spiral galaxy located 2.5 million lightyears from Earth. It is the closest galaxy to our own, the Milky Way and 220,000 lightyears in diameter, containing a black hole at its centre.
Where Located within the constellation of Andromeda. Star hop to it using Cassiopeia. It looks like a faint, oval fuzzy star to the naked eye.
When November
How to observe Naked eye, binoculars or telescope
Difficulty rating Easy to moderate
Orion Nebula, M42
What A gigantic stellar nursery, 1,500 lightyears from Earth, composed of dust and gas. At its centre lies the Orion Trapezium, four stars shaping the Nebula.
Where Located within the constellation of Orion, below Orion’s Belt. This is one of the most prominent constellations in the winter sky. The Nebula can be found within the Sword of Orion.
When January
How to observe Naked eye, binoculars or telescope
Difficulty rating Easy
Bodes Galaxy, M81
What This large, bright galaxy is a popular pit stop for amateurs. Composed of interstellar dust, its spiral arms are associated with star-forming regions. Nearby the Cigar Galaxy, M82, is busy producing new stars at a very high rate.
Where Located near the Big Dipper, an asterism in the constellation of Ursa Major. Draw a short imaginary diagonal line up from its right-hand star to find M81.
When March to May
How to observe Binoculars or telescope
Difficulty rating Moderate
The Great Globular Cluster, M13
What Comprised of hundreds of thousands of stars that are tightly bound by gravity and orbiting a galactic core. Billions of years old, M13 is almost as old as the Universe.
Where Located in the constellation of Hercules. Forming the body of Hercules are four fairly bright stars called the Keystone of Hercules. M13 sits between the top and bottom right-hand stars.
When May to July
How to observe Binoculars or telescope
Difficulty rating Moderate to difficult
The Dumbbell Nebula, M27
What M27 is a planetary nebula located around 1,200 lightyears away. Despite the name, the nebula has nothing to do with planets and was instead created by a dying star throwing off its outer layers.
Where From Albireo at the beak end of Cygnus, The Swan, draw a line through mag. +4.58 star 13 Vulpeculae and extend it by a quarter as much again to find the Dumbbell Nebula.
When June to October
How to observe Binoculars or telescope
Difficulty rating Easy to moderate