Easy targets using binoculars for the first time

Fingers crossed I will get an hour or so tonight with clear skies.

This will be my first opportunity to use my new 10X50 binoc.

Any advice on easy targets that I can pick off quickly - I have the binoc handbook downloaded already.

Thanks
Mad Hatter

M27, M13 and M92 are all well-positioned (assuming you're in a deck-chair or something which allows looking straight up). They should all be easy targets in a 10x50.

Later on M31 will be gaining some altitude, and after that the Double Cluster and the Pleiades.

Oh, and Albireo and Achird are always nice if you're into colorful doubles.

-- Jeff.

I find open clusters tend to make nice starter binocular targets. Hence I'd also suggest the double cluster but also M39, M52, M34 & IC4665.

Happy Observing!

Bart.

as bart says, the double cluster is well placed at the moment. also check out the loose association in perseus around the brightest star alpha persei.

here is a link to an article I wrote about the summer triangle which is overhead at the moment. There are some easy and not so easy targets in it.
www.cosmonut.net/articles/The%20Summer%20Triangle.pdf

after that if you have clear skies follow the milky way down past Aquilla and pick up the wild duck cluster M11 and further on down towards Sagittarius there is a huge amount of targets for the binocular observer.

Just enjoy the view and sweep around the region with binoculars.

Of course be sure to check out the andromeda galaxy m31

Mad Hatter,

here is a link to a document (just a straight forward list I compiled) of the Messier 110:

www.seanie-m.com/Messier%20List%20of%20Objects.pdf

(you can right-click and select "Save (Link) As" to save it to your computer and print it if you wish)

Each of these can be seen in your binoculars. But don't expect miracles for some, your limited aperture will mean some of them are just faint blobs!

Seanie.

Just buy the book "Binocular Highlights"by Gary Seronik.

Find it here:

www.shopatsky.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1192

You won't regret it: Seronilk makes it a "doddle" to find them.

(They are also very good "Telescope Highlights".)

Peter.