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- Telescopes 101
It's time for a little sightseeing. Some of the night sky's most thrilling features are within range of even modestly powered telescopes. This list contains some of the coolest things you can see in the heavens. And the best part: these objects are easy to find, even for amateur astronomers.
The Coolest and easiest things to find in the night sky
orion nebula (m42)
You may know the constellation, but if you haven't seen the Orion Nebula through a telescope, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
Hercules Cluster (m13)
Get ready for spectacular. This tight grouping of stars forms the largest globular cluster visible from the Northern Hemisphere.
dumbell nebula (m28)
If you've never seen a planetary nebula, this is an ideal place to start. After all, the Dumbbell was the first to be discovered.
Ring nebula m57
Easily found and breathtaking to behold, this is a popular night-sky stop for beginning and experienced astronomers alike.
lagoon nebula (m8)
The Lagoon Nebula is proof that if you've seen one planetary nebula, you certainly haven't seen them all.
The Pleiades (M45)
A group of stars named after seven sisters of legendary beauty... do you need another reason to look?
Andromeda Galaxy (M31)
Tired of this galaxy? Put the Andromeda Galaxy in your field of view and see something truly far out.
M42 & M13: courtesy of Tim Hunter and James McGaha, Grasslands Observatory at http://www.3towers.com; M31 & M45: courtesy of Herm Perez, http://home.att.net/~hermperez/default.htm; M8: courtesy of Bob Star, http://www.flickr.com/photos/52031391@N00/70287323 / CC BY 2.0
2009: The International Year of Astronomy
With the theme "The Universe, Yours to Discover," a United Nations agency is bringing astronauts, artists, scientists, academics, and others together during the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first observation of the heavens in 1609.
Telescopes 101
Spend some time reading these articles and you will dramatically improve your knowledge of telescopes to help you choose the one best for you.
