Deep Sky Observing Lists and the History of Some of them.

With all of this what do I look at? Well if you are just starting out the Moon and planets are easier to find and can provide a lifetime of viewing enjoyment. But if you wish to peer beyond the confines of our solar system then this is where these lists come into play. Charles Messier was looking for comets in the mid to late 1700s. When he found something that wasn't a comet or a star, he marked its position and gave it a number. Modern telescopes reveal that these "messier objects" are some of the finest galaxies, star clusters and nebulae that can be seen from the northern hemisphere. Once you have mastered these and are looking for more of a challenge, you can hunt for objects on the Hershel 400 list. The NGC (new General catalog) includes many objects found by the Herschel's and includes many spectacular "deep sky" objects not seen by messier. The NGC list generator lets you locate NGC objects. You can select by: constellation, object class, object brightness, etc. The "challenging objects" are just that, targets for experienced observers who want a "challenge". In addition to the SEDS lists I've included links to the STARLORE site and Doug Norton's site. Both have nice lists of Objects. Starelore also has information and images of the objects to help you put things into context.