best Astronomical thing to look at?

Question

whats the best astronomical thing to look at with a telescope that has an angular resulotion of 1'' ; by best I mean most colorfull, maybe suggestions about nebulas or galaxies (nothing from Messiar, all the good ones are taken....for a college project)

Answer 1

With a 1500mm scope and a camera, there are lots of possibilities.



If you want a non-Messier galaxy, one suggestion is NGC 4565, which is relatively bright (magnitude 9.6) and large (16' x 3'). It is an edge-on galaxy with a very visible dust lane. It's notable because many people think that this galaxy is very similar to our own milky way. For a picture, see http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop/observers/n4565.html



Another galaxy option is NGC 2903, which is brighter (magnitude 8.9) but less comapact (12.6' x 6.6'). It is a face-on galaxy with a visible spiral structure. For a picture see http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop/observers/n2903.html



If you want a non-Messier nebula, try the Horsehead nebula (Barnard 33 or IGC 434). It's very visually striking, not as much for it's color (it's mostly red), but for the well defined dust cloud shaped like a horse's head that protrudes into it. For a picture, see http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/html/im0057.html



A more colorful nebula is the Eskimo Nebula, NGC 2392. It is magnitude 9.1 but very compact (0.7' x 0.7'). For a picture, see http://www.ricksastro.com/Gallery/eskimo_ngc2392.jpg



Another option is the Cat's Eye nebula, NGC 6543. It is relatively bright (magnitude 8.1) but less compact (0.3' x 5.8'). Because it is located near the North Star, it should be visible all year in the northern hemisphere. For a picture, see http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop/observers/n6543.html



Another final nebula option is NGC 7009 (the Saturn Nebula) which is a nebula shaped like saturn with it's rings, and which is also bright and compact (magnitude 8, 0.4' x 1.6'). For a picture see http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop/observers/n7009.html .



For some lists of good non-Messier objects, see the "Caldwell Catalog" at http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/similar/caldwell.html, the "SAC 110 Best of the NGC" at http://seds.org/messier/xtra/similar/sac110bn.html or the RASC's Finest NGC Objects List" at http://seds.org/messier/xtra/similar/rasc-dsc.html

Answer 2

Couple more suggestions:

NGC 253 - The Sculptor Galaxy - this one is fairly large but has some neat details in photos, but it is kind of low in the sky



NGC 891 - The Outer Limits Galaxy - An edge-on galaxy with a very distinct dark band through the middle, made famous on the show The Outer Limits



NGC 2024 - The Flame Nebula - This one is near the horsehead and is often neglected or added as an afterthought to horsehad nebula pictures. It is one of my favorite nebula to photograph because of it's contrasty whispy details and vivid color.

Answer 3

I assume your 1.5 meters is focal length, not aperture?



You didn't say where in the world you are, so I'll assume you are fairly far south. My faves, in that case, are Omega Centauri, Centaurus A, the Eta Carinae Nebula, 47 Tucanae, and the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Answer 4

You will not be able to see color in any deep space object because the light is too faint for the eye to register colors

To get color you need to make time exposures with a film camera.

Therefore star clusters would probably be your best bet.

I'd suggest Orion's belt, the Pleiades or the Carinae group.

Answer 5

With that kind of resolution, I'd say Saturn and Jupiter. The moons, the storm bands on the planets, the rings... very interesting.

Answer 6

I prefer just the Wonder of the whole sky on a moonless cloudless night!

Answer 7

properly, first you desire a sky chart so we are on the same website. come across the constellation Andromeda on the sky chart and in the sky. you will word 3 bright stars, properly spaced in and out a at once line. flow to the middle megastar and flow your binoculars up and to the left from there. you will see yet another fainter cluster of stars a pair of complete moon's width from there. flow up and somewhat extra to the left and seem around. you will realize it once you spot it. A fuzzy haze of sunshine - you're gazing yet another galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy. as quickly as you have chanced on it, it is likewise possible to perceive it which contain your bare eyes on a dismal evening. this is the only galaxy we are able to verify in the northern hemisphere with purely our eyes, in spite of the indisputable fact that this is a thrill looking it in a solid pair of binoculars. The moon seems surprising in a solid pair of binoculars, yet you do no longer desire my help looking that. Jupiter is particularly bright and is truthfully chanced on. no longer plenty to verify with that form of magnification, in spite of the undeniable fact that on a tripod you are able to see 2 equitorial bands on Jupiter. Saturn is yellow-ish and somewhat bright. you will see the jewelry, however the image would be fairly tiny. yet, without even searching for something, on a dismal evening far off from easy pollution, tenting as an occasion, with those binoculars purely factor them everywhere and notice the impressive numbers of diamond jeweled stars in our galaxy. With somewhat prepare and evening imaginative and prescient, you will even discern colorations. there are a number of property you are able to spot, yet you are able to desire to appreciate the place to look, so which you would be able to desire to income somewhat with regard to the constellations. verify out Orion's sword - the middle "megastar" is unquestionably the super Nebula in Orion. in case you are able to spot the Trapezium, a set of four supergiant stars lights up the nebula, those are very solid optical binoculars. I even have considered 3 of the 4 Trapezium stars with my ninety mm Makusov-Cassegrain scope.

Answer 8

The prettiest thing to look at is Venus.

The ugliest thing is Uranus.