Beginner's Deep Sky Targets
Below I hope to provide you with what I've found to be some of the easiest deep sky objects (DSO's) that I've been able to locate and how I went about hunting these down.
The keys to locating DSO's are patience, perseverance and most of all a basic knowledge of the constellations. Once you can identify key stars in the sky, it is easy to "hop" your way to your targets. Start with the brightest and easiest DSO's and slowly progress toward the more challenging objects.
A tremendous sense of accomplishment accompanies finding your first DSO. Once you start, you can very easily get hooked (as I have) on trying to hunt down every last one of these "faint fuzzies." Of course, to hunt down every one of them would take several lifetimes, but that's ok with me, at least I always have the thrill of finding new objects every time I go out.
OK, so here goes and good hunting!
Galaxies
M31 (the Andromeda Galaxy), to locate M31, find the "W" of the Constellation Cassiopea. The larger part of the base of the "W" points right at the Andromeda Galaxy. Simply follow this line approximately a fist's width and slightly toward the horizon and scan this area with your lowest power eyepiece. You will see a bright blob in the middle with light extending off of both sides. I've been told that on a very good night, from a dark site, Andromeda will fill the field of view of your eyepiece. The best viewing of Andromeda is in the late summer and early fall. The Andromeda Galaxy is the most distant object that can be viewed with the naked eye at about 2.2 million light years away, which makes this a very easy first galaxy target for your scope.
The Andromeda Galaxy is considered the Milky Way's twin and is a member of a group of galaxies known as the local group It's made up of about 300 billion stars and is considerably larger than the Milky Way. M31 is a spiral galaxy, but as we are seeing it edge on no spiral structure can be detected. From a very dark site, you may also detect M32 in the same low power field of view, which is an elliptical galaxy. M32 is a very small smudge just below Andromeda (in the telescope view).
M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy), start at the first star of the handle of the big dipper (alkaid), again, with your lowest power eyepiece, move in the direction of the bowl, with alkaid just out of view (toward the bottom of the view in the eyepiece), look for a 2 connected faint smudges. This will be M51, and its companion NGC 5195. M51 requires a very dark site, as this is a very dim target. M51 is best hunted down in Late Spring through early Summer. M51 is also a spiral galaxy, but at least an 8" telescope is required to make out any spiral structure (under optimum observing conditions). It contains an estimated one billion stars. NGC 5195 is a dense elliptical galaxy.
Estimates of the distance of this pair of galaxies range from 15 to 40 million lightyears from us.
M81 and M82. M81 and M82 are usually visible in the same field of view, which makes for a fascinating site. It also shows what 2 different types of galaxies will look like in your scope (an irregular, M82 and a spiral, M81). To find M81 and M82, again, using your lowest power eyepiece, start with the first star that forms the bowl of the big dipper from the handle (phecda). Draw a line diagonally to the opposite corner star (dubhe), now, follow this imaginary line the same distance out, then move slightly North (toward Polaris, the North Star), scan the area slowly, and you should find 2 smudges, one slightly elongated (M81) and one rounded (M82). M81 and M82 are best seen in late Spring through early summer as well. This particular pair of galaxies were the first I found, the only description I wrote in my log book was "wow." There's something about actually seeing a remote galaxy first hand that cannot possibly be felt by simply looking at pictures in a book. Granted, the pictures in the book are very nice to look at, but viewing them with your own scope gives you the feeling of "being" there.
M81 and M82 are located approximately 7 - 8 million lightyears from us.
If you live in a moderately (or worse) light polluted area, most galaxies will be invisible (with the probable exception of Andromeda). These are best viewed from sites with very dark skies. Don't despair though, there are many other equally (if not more) fascinating objects which can be seen even under urban skies.
Some of the best for these conditions are open and globular clusters. These are groupings of anywhere from a few to several million stars in a relatively small area of the sky.
Globular clusters
Long a favorite of many backyard astronomers is M13 (The Great Hercules Cluster). Find the constellation Hercules, then locate the upper 4 stars (the "keystone"). The star that that would be the top right, or the great hunters right shoulder (viewing it in an upright position), is our guidepost here. I follow a line from this star to the bottom right star, about a third of the way down, you will see a blob. This is the Great Hercules Cluster. This is one of those deep-sky objects that lends itself extremely well to magnification. Experiment, slowly increase the magnification, how many individual stars can you see? This is one of the great sites in Amateur Astronomy. A trick I use in finding Hercules on those nights when I'm having difficulty locating it (which happens more than I care to admit) is to find the consteallation Corona Borealis (a small U shaped constellation). I draw a line from the star at the edge opposite from Arcturus, and follow this straight up, this will lead you right into the Hercules Constellation.
M13 is estimated to contain over a million stars, and is at a distance of approximately 25,000 lightyears from us.
M13 is best located for viewing from Spring through fall.
M4 is another beautiful globular cluster located in the constellation of Scorpius. One of the things I like most about M4 for us beginners is the ease of location. Simply find the star Antares (bright reddish star in the south), and just below it to the right is M4.
M4 contains hundreds of thousands of stars and is relatively close to us (astronomically speaking of course) at only 7000 lightyears.
Open Clusters
M29 is a small open cluster located in Cygnus. Find the central star of the cross (Sadr), just below it is M29. M29 contains about 20 stars, of which I have managed to see about 8. It forms a "H" with the stars. It's located about 5000 lightyears from us.
Nebulae
M57 (The Ring Nebula) provides a fascinating site. This is another one of those DSO's that lends itself well to high power. Depending on the seeing conditions, the optics of your particular scope, and the power you may be able to make out a donut in the sky. I've only managed to see the hole in the Nebula twice (at 133X), but I can always find this one. Start by finding Vega (the summer's brightest star) high overhead, hanging below Vega is are 4 stars in the shape of a parallelogram (this is the constellation Lyra), right in the middle of the 2 stars furthest from Vega is M57. Use your lowest power eyepiece to find it, and increase the magnification once you have it centered in view. Enjoy!
M27 (The Dumbbell Nebula) is quickly becoming on of my favorites. The easiest way I've found to locate this great target is to draw a line from bottom most star of the parallelogram of Lyra through Alberio (the star at the long end of Cygnus) continue along this line approximately the same distance as that between the above 2 stars, and you should find M27 easily. One thing I do is scan with my scope's eyepiece slowly to find this one. On a good night, the dummbbell shape of the nebula is readily apparent.
If there's something specific that you'd like help with, and you can't find it here (or on one of my other pages), feel free send me an e-mail, I'll respond as soon as I can (usually within a day or 2).
I also welcome comments, suggestions, other stuff you'd like to see.
Thanks!