Jack Tripper
sage
Reged: 05/10/09
Posts: 349
Loc: Canada
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Just out of curiosity. Going all the way back to your earliest moments looking through a telescope...What Deep-Sky object would you say you have spent the most total hours observing? Was the majority of the observing done a long time ago? Do you have some sort of special fascination with this object? Is there an object that you have recently spent a lot of hours observing?
For me, it's doubtless than M31 consumes me. I am sure I have spent more time observing that than all other objects combined, and that includes the moon and planets. And it continues to this day. Besides being the brightest, biggest galaxy, it was also the first galaxy I ever saw. It was especially interesting to me because its so much farther away than all other visible stars, globulars, and nebula. It's also favourably positioned in the sky.
(I know that discussion of the moon and planets doesn't truly belong in this forum, but if you have spent most of your time observing one of those, then I wouldn't want you to feel excluded!) 
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Celestron CPC 1100
Denkmeier S2 Power Filter Switch Diagonal (.66x Reducer, 2x Barlow)
Ethos 17mm, Baader Scopos 30mm
Lunt 60mm Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Scope, Lunt Zoom
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Feidb
super member
Reged: 10/09/09
Posts: 127
Loc: Nevada
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Numbers-wise, I'd have to say the Ring Nebula, mainly because it is a standard object to show newbies at star parties. However, for pleasure and fascination, I'm all over the place. The Orion Nebula is always a good one. Same with the Lagoon and Triffid. I really like NGC-253 and the string of galaxies in Markharian's Chain as well as the Leo Trio. Most of the brighter Messiers I look at a lot because of public star parties, or just to test sky conditions.
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Present gear:
16" Meade LightBridge
Meade 50mm straight through-finder
Lumicon green laser pointer
Orion Q-70 26mm, 32mm, and 38mm
Parks 2X 2" Barlow
Hyperion 17mm, 8mm
1 1/4" 18mm Russell Optics Bertele
1 1/4" 12.5mm and 6mm Coulter Optical Orthoscopics
1 1/4" X 2" 32mm Edmund Scientific war surplus Erfle
Tirion star atlas (white stars, black background) hand-laminated
Megastar
And a partridge in a pear tree
To nudge or not to nudge, that is the question
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Ptarmigan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/23/04
Posts: 2364
Loc: Arctic
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Hmmmmmmmmm.  Probably the Orion Nebula, Pleiades, Ring Nebula, Double Cluster, and Andromeda.
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Ptarmigans=Cute and Cuddly
Meade Starfinder 8
Nikon 10x50
Rebel XT
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rocco13
Got Milk?
Reged: 07/29/06
Posts: 2657
Loc: Phoenix, Arizona
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Depending on the season...either M42 or M57. M42 being brighter and bigger usually gets more eyepiece time than most.
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Rocco
Zhumell Z12
Super C8 (1984 vintage)
Celestron 102 f/5
and a cheap pair of binoculars
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Jack Tripper
sage
Reged: 05/10/09
Posts: 349
Loc: Canada
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Do you use a nebula filter Rocco?
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Celestron CPC 1100
Denkmeier S2 Power Filter Switch Diagonal (.66x Reducer, 2x Barlow)
Ethos 17mm, Baader Scopos 30mm
Lunt 60mm Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Scope, Lunt Zoom
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rocco13
Got Milk?
Reged: 07/29/06
Posts: 2657
Loc: Phoenix, Arizona
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Quote:
Do you use a nebula filter Rocco?
About 50-50. If it's a cold winter night, with steady, crystal clear skies, then I'll use my Orion Ultrablock. On a great night, the filter can extend the object by 50%, allowing those faint outer wisps and tendrils to be observed.
If the conditions are less-than-great, I'll usually pass on the filter nor spend as much time on it.
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Rocco
Zhumell Z12
Super C8 (1984 vintage)
Celestron 102 f/5
and a cheap pair of binoculars
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jack45
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/07/03
Posts: 2474
Loc: Lacey WA
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Orion Nebula by far the most viewed DSO for me!
Clear Skies!
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16"f/4.5 Discovery Split Tube/TV Paracorr
12.5"f/5 Discovery PDHQ
Orion f/4.9 XT12"Intelliscope
BV's/Bugress Model 24/Stellarvue Model BV3A
TV Smooth Side Plossls,7.4mm,10.5mm,17mm,21mm,26mm
Nagler EPs 9mm T/2,13mm T/1,16mm T/2,20mm T/2,26mm T/5
Axiom EPs 23mm,31mm LX,22mm Panoptic
UO EPs 5MM,6MM,7MM,12.5MM
Baader Hyp 8mm-24mm Zoom
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Dain
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/24/05
Posts: 1596
Loc: N.Y. Adirondack Mnts. NGC 4565...
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Every year for me...NGC 4565...I can eyeball this object for hours and hours. This large galaxy shows striking detail in dark skies and fills the FOV edge to edge. My #1 favorite object all year...hence it is under my name for being so. 
Clear Skies to All!
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Best,
Dain
Adirondack Mountains (my true dark sky site)
@ Cedar River Flow
Local Site
Clear Skies?
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joec33
super member
Reged: 06/13/09
Posts: 112
Loc: Chester, N.Y
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I seem to be stuck on M13. I love looking at it and wondering how amazing the sky for a planet in the middle of the cluster must look! Dain got my close second though.
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“I'm not perfect, but who are we kidding, neither are you.”
Jeremy Grey
An Over accessorized XT10i
80mm Meade Series 5000 Apo w/duelspeed focuser
Vixen VMC110L
Orion Starblast6
Meade DSI PRO II, Orion S.S Autoguider
Advanced GT Mount
Kendrick Dew System
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Arizona-Ken
sage
Reged: 08/31/08
Posts: 308
Loc: Scottsdale, Arizona
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In order, M42, M37, double cluster.
M42, because it is the most impressive thing in the sky to me.
M37, as it is the most beautiful open cluster, I call it the "diamond dust" cluster.
Double cluster because it is so big and bright and showy in long f/l eyepieces.
If they are out, I just can't pass up a look-see, even if I saw them the previous night. I'll often look at them at the beginning of the evening and again at the end if I can.
Arizona Ken
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"Considered as a collector of rare and precious things, the amateur astronomer has a great advantage over amateurs in other fields ... the amateur astronomer has access at all times to the original objects of his study; the masterworks of the heavens belong to him as much as to the great observatories of the world. And there is no privilege like that of being allowed to stand in the presence of the original."
--Robert Burnham Jr, Burnham's Celestial Handbook
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Downward Bound
Adrenaline Junkie
Reged: 03/29/06
Posts: 2642
Loc: Seattle
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Quote:
I seem to be stuck on M13. I love looking at it and wondering how amazing the sky for a planet in the middle of the cluster must look! Dain got my close second though.
Ditto. I dig globs! 
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Bill
'flector: R200SS, 22" f/3.6 (on order)
'fractors: PST, AT-66, TV-85, FS-102, NP-127, TMB-152
'bins: 15x63, 10x52, 22x85
410+028B, Sphinx, Telepod, EZ Touch, G-11
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paysonmike
member
Reged: 10/18/09
Posts: 10
Loc: mesa del cabballo 34.17 111.1...
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PLEIADES ORION NEBULA DOUBLE CLUSTER ANDROMEDA M13 RING NEBULA LEO TRIO MARKHARIAN CHAIN SAGITARIUS SCROPIUS AREAS EASY TO SHOW NON-ASTRONOMERS SOME TOOK A WHILE TO FIND 
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loged on formly as fireman mike have a 12" dob with circles and dig. level main eye pieces are hyperion's 8-13-21
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stevecoe
"Astronomical Tourist"
Reged: 04/24/04
Posts: 2648
Loc: Arizona, USA
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I told someone once that I have a 700 hours exposure of the Orion Nebula...I can't show it to you because it is inside my head, but I can tell you how to start your own accumulation of photons from whatever your favorite happens to be.
Enjoy;
Steve Coe
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TeleVue 102 refractor on CGEM mount
10 inch f/4.7 Newtonian
Author "Deep Sky Observing" Springer-Verlag
Author "Nebulae and How to Observe Them" Springer
Canon Xt astrocamera with Hutech modification
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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 10516
Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth
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It would probably be M42 for me also.
Dave Mitsky
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Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
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Hrundi
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/08
Posts: 1247
Loc: Estonia
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Probably M42, closely followed by M31.
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nobody special
sage
Reged: 12/30/08
Posts: 405
Loc: Connecticut
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M42, M11 & M13 are pretty much tied as the objects I have put the most time observing.
Although I cant seem to buy a clear night here. 
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Tom
Orion XT8 Classic
Hyperion 13mm (With 28mm Tuning Ring)
Orion Sirius 25mm
Meade Series 4000 Plossls 32mm 6.4mm
Orion Shorty Plus 2x Barlow
Telrad
OPT OIII Filter
ND Moon Filter
80a Blue Filter
Smart Seat III
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ensign
member
Reged: 12/16/08
Posts: 41
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Paysonmike mentioned Markarian's Chain among his top targets. If the Virgo Galaxy Cluster qualifies as an object, then I've spent the most time there by far trying to learn the lay of the land.
Next would be, as with many others, M42 because it's an interesting object that can be viewed in Winter from my light-polluted driveway. I don't head out to dark sites in the Winter,  so I spend quite a bit of time hanging around M31, M34, M35, M36, M37, M38, M41, M44, M45, the Double Cluster and the Hyades - all good targets under suburban skies.
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- Mike
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Modified 10" Sky-Watcher Dob
William Optics Megrez 110/EZTouch
Nagler Type 4 - 12,17,22
Pentax XW - 10,7
William Optics UWAN 28
Siebert Observatory class 40
Other assorted items too numerous to mention
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starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 620
Loc: Northern Arizona
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On any dark site trip or outing , I always have a pre determined observing list that will include quite a good number of not yet observed objects . But there have been a few nights when M31 was coming through so good that I spent most of the night tracking it . In a situation like that it turns into a casual observing session of just viewing in awe & taking short breaks from the eyepiece as well as showing off the view to others . Aside from that , considerable time has also been spent in the same realm on M33 , M42 , M13 , M3 & NGC7293 .
There is just something that really grabs me seeing M31 , M32 & M110 or (NGC205) framed in the same field of view together when the seeing is good & both dust lanes are prevalent , direct vision at 31X magnification .
To answer the question more directly , It would be a pretty close toss up of M31 & M42 .
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LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
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Jeronimo Cruz
super member
Reged: 09/01/08
Posts: 141
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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I'm torn between M31(+M32&M110) and M42. When they're not up, I always have M8.
I especially like observing M31 through a quality refractor.
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Jeronimo
TeleVue 101 + Gibralter
Celestron NS11 GPS/wedge + Hyperstar
Photon Instruments 127mm + SV F50W2
Lunt Solar Systems LS60DS Ha + Celestron CG-5
Naglers, Panoptics, Radians, Nikon binoviewer
Fujinon 10x70 FMT-SX, 7x42 CD; Canon 15x50IS;
Pentax 7x50 PCF WP, 10x50 PCF WPII, 10x50 DCF SP
Work
20" R/C RCOS on Paramount + Tak FSQ
16" R/C RCOS on Paramount + TEC 140
16" Meade LX200 SCT + TV 76
Ethos, Naglers, Panoptics
Coronado Solarmax 90mm Ha
Coronado Solarmax 70mm Ca
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Jack Tripper
sage
Reged: 05/10/09
Posts: 349
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
In a situation like that it turns into a casual observing session of just viewing in awe & taking short breaks from the eyepiece
A typical night for me.
Quote:
I told someone once that I have a 700 hours exposure of the Orion Nebula...
My plan is to reach that number, and exceed it on M31!
Quote:
M37, as it is the most beautiful open cluster, I call it the "diamond dust" cluster.
Thanks...I am going give that a try in my new 11".
Quote:
Every year for me...NGC 4565...I can eyeball this object for hours and hours. This large galaxy shows striking detail in dark skies and fills the FOV edge to edge.
Quote:
NGC7293
Quote:
really like NGC-253
Thanks for the new targets gentlemen. (Although I won't be spending too much time on them! )
Looks like M42 has a lot of fans!
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Erik Bakker
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/10/06
Posts: 534
Loc: Haren, The Netherlands, Europe
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M42 has the biggest share of my deep-sky observing time. So much detail in the nebula, the 6 brightest stars in the trapezium. M 45 is probably my most often observed object, though with less time per session. The Double Cluster is one of my favourites, along with M31 M32 M110. As far as galaxies go, I love the M81/M82 pair for the striking differences between the two in a beautiful starfield. M57 and M27 are my most observed planetaries. And M13, M15, M2 and M3 and my most observed globulars.
Clear skies,
Erik
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Visual astronomer, main instruments:
Fully mounted Questar 7 P-BB
Celestron C 102F f/8.8 fluorite
Vixen FL 70S f/8 fluorite
Celestron C 55F f/8 fluorite
Sets of Zeiss, TeleVue and Brandon eyepieces
Zeiss 7x50 Marine B/GA
Zeiss TM german equatorial
Gitzo 224 with Manfrotto 501 fluid head
Unitron alt-az mount
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Jack Tripper
sage
Reged: 05/10/09
Posts: 349
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
I seem to be stuck on M13. I love looking at it and wondering how amazing the sky for a planet in the middle of the cluster must look! Dain got my close second though.
Here is the closest I have ever been to M13. (2nd last picture): http://www.instrumentsoflight.com/spaceart.html
I think if I were that close, then I would surely make M13 my most viewed deep-sky object.
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Celestron CPC 1100
Denkmeier S2 Power Filter Switch Diagonal (.66x Reducer, 2x Barlow)
Ethos 17mm, Baader Scopos 30mm
Lunt 60mm Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Scope, Lunt Zoom
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Tony Flanders
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 3469
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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Quote:
What Deep-Sky object would you say you have spent the most total hours observing?
I consider the Milky Way to be a deep-sky object. That makes the answer easy!
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Tony Flanders
First and foremost observing love: naked eye.
Second, binoculars.
Last but not least, telescopes.
And I sometimes dabble with cameras.
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stevecoe
"Astronomical Tourist"
Reged: 04/24/04
Posts: 2648
Loc: Arizona, USA
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Tony, et al;
I agree that the Milky Way is certainly a fascinating object to observe. I have several friends who I have been observing with for over 30 years. We often laugh about coming out, setting up thousands of dollars worth of equipment and then ogglling the Milky Way for an hour!
We do live in a beautiful Universe;
Steve Coe
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TeleVue 102 refractor on CGEM mount
10 inch f/4.7 Newtonian
Author "Deep Sky Observing" Springer-Verlag
Author "Nebulae and How to Observe Them" Springer
Canon Xt astrocamera with Hutech modification
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RAKing
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/28/07
Posts: 2092
Loc: West of the D.C. Nebula
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My Dad showed me how to find M31 as a child (naked eye). It was the first DSO he showed me and will always be my favorite.
With a telescope, I like M42 better.
Ron
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Time spent looking at the stars is added to your life.
Tak FS-128, C925-CF, C6SE, other stray cats and refractors.
A-P Mach1 GTO
Zeiss orthos to Ethos - and some stuff in between.
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JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy
Reged: 09/19/08
Posts: 953
Loc: Utah
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Most hours, M42.
Some others that I enjoy observing (some during this time of the year):
NGC 1232, NGC 457,
Melotte 20, The Double Double,
and one I look forward to as much as M42:
NGC 2264 The Christmas Tree Cluster and the Cone Nebula.
Could really break this down by season . . .
Sometimes, I find a jewel just for me, and I can spend hours and multiple visits on it. Alas, I'm mortal because there are more objects than I have life for. Perhaps, when I run out of life, I'll sail through them, and be one with them, not just observing them.
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Jay in Utah
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Location: Lat: 40.514N Long: -112.032W
Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth.
— Ptolemy, c.150 AD
My Blog
Edited by JayinUT (10/29/09 10:39 AM)
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tatarjj
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/20/04
Posts: 1134
Loc: Austin, TX
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I donno which DSO I spend the most time on. Certainly, there are eye-candy objects I return to a couple times a night if they are up- M42, the Horsehead nebula, M17, M20, M8, the Veil, for example. But I have spent a disproportionate amount of time looking at/for a couple challenge objects like Simeis 147. Really hard to say what DSO's I have looked at most, it can change from year to year.
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John T.
Austin, TX
25" f/4.2 Dob
18" Obsession #701
4" Stellar Vue Achromat
8X56 Binos
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Jeff Morgan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/28/03
Posts: 1987
Loc: Prescott, AZ
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Probably the North American Nebula. M42, M8 or the Scutum star cloud would be close seconds. All are complex objects that offer different embedded features. The North American is available most of the year from my location, and during the warmest parts of the year.
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Jeff Morgan
Prescott, AZ
Wile E. Coyote School of Telescope Making
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Jack Tripper
sage
Reged: 05/10/09
Posts: 349
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
I donno which DSO I spend the most time on. Certainly, there are eye-candy objects I return to a couple times a night if they are up- M42, the Horsehead nebula, M17, M20, M8, the Veil, for example. But I have spent a disproportionate amount of time looking at/for a couple challenge objects like Simeis 147. Really hard to say what DSO's I have looked at most, it can change from year to year.
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John T.
Austin, TX
25" f/4.2 Dob
18" Obsession #701
4" Stellar Vue Achromat
8X56 Binos
I appreciate hearing the other side of this.
I wonder if I would spend most of my nights on M31 if I owned a 25" telescope like yours.
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Celestron CPC 1100
Denkmeier S2 Power Filter Switch Diagonal (.66x Reducer, 2x Barlow)
Ethos 17mm, Baader Scopos 30mm
Lunt 60mm Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Scope, Lunt Zoom
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tatarjj
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/20/04
Posts: 1134
Loc: Austin, TX
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Quote:
I appreciate hearing the other side of this.
I wonder if I would spend most of my nights on M31 if I owned a 25" telescope like yours.
M31's details are subtle, even through a large scope. With the 25", you can track down its globulars, probably observe many of its emission nebulae, catch some extra dust clouds, but the overall view, at low power, is pretty similar to what you see through a small scope. A FAR more interesting object is M33, which is a virtual "playground" of subtle and obvious objects. For example, last time I was out, I zoomed in at around 500X on NGC 604, M33's largest nebula. A surprising amount of detail was seen in it, including a signifcant hook, a very bright spot, and a couple little detached clouds. It showed more detail than most bright planetary nebulae!
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John T.
Austin, TX
25" f/4.2 Dob
18" Obsession #701
4" Stellar Vue Achromat
8X56 Binos
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JayKSC
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/01/05
Posts: 985
Loc: Florida
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In terms of a single session, probably M57 so far. I spent around 3-hours on it once to see how much detail I could extract from the view. Otherwise, M42 and M103 without doubt. I'm an open cluster fan and M103 was one of my first "less obvious" Messier objects. I've returned to it often since.
- Jay
South Florida
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Refractor manic. 
My Sketches
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Ptarmigan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/23/04
Posts: 2364
Loc: Arctic
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I like seeing the Milky Way through my telescope. Beautiful! 
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Ptarmigans=Cute and Cuddly
Meade Starfinder 8
Nikon 10x50
Rebel XT
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Ptarmigan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/23/04
Posts: 2364
Loc: Arctic
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Seeing objects like Orion Nebula and Andromeda Galaxy make you attached to those objects. They become your friends and when you see them again, I get the same feeling when I see a friend I have not seen in years.
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Ptarmigans=Cute and Cuddly
Meade Starfinder 8
Nikon 10x50
Rebel XT
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Rat
super member
Reged: 10/13/06
Posts: 154
Loc: USA
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Another M42 fan here. I think number two is the Ring Nebula. Can't imagine how many hours I have viewing them.
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 12230
Loc: Los Angeles
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M31 for sure.
When I was young it was seeing the shape.
When I got older, it was detecting the lanes.
When I got older still, it became spotting globulars in M31.
Now it's seeing individual stars in NGC206, and tracking the maximum extent of the galaxy--especially tracking down outlying H-II regions.
But, a lot of hours in more different scopes than I can even remember.
Best view of overall shape: 11x80 binos under mag.21.8 skies
Best view of dark lanes: 12.5" at low power
Best view of globular G-1 (Mayall-II): 60" at 488X
Best view of core and dark areas therein: 28"
Best view of NGC206: 12.5" at ~230X on a very dark night with superb seeing.
#2 most viewed object is, for sure, M42. I've caught the G and H1 stars in the Trapezium with the 12.5", but the view of the Trapezium area with the 60" was an eye-opener: the region looked like a large piece of Swiss cheese with a star in every hole. Simply amazing.
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov, Fujinon Binos
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member
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tatarjj
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/20/04
Posts: 1134
Loc: Austin, TX
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Quote:
M31 for sure.
When I was young it was seeing the shape.
When I got older, it was detecting the lanes.
When I got older still, it became spotting globulars in M31.
Now it's seeing individual stars in NGC206, and tracking the maximum extent of the galaxy--especially tracking down outlying H-II regions.
But, a lot of hours in more different scopes than I can even remember.
Best view of overall shape: 11x80 binos under mag.21.8 skies
Best view of dark lanes: 12.5" at low power
Best view of globular G-1 (Mayall-II): 60" at 488X
Best view of core and dark areas therein: 28"
Best view of NGC206: 12.5" at ~230X on a very dark night with superb seeing.
#2 most viewed object is, for sure, M42. I've caught the G and H1 stars in the Trapezium with the 12.5", but the view of the Trapezium area with the 60" was an eye-opener: the region looked like a large piece of Swiss cheese with a star in every hole. Simply amazing.
Don,
I really would like to get around to going deep on M31 someday soon. Considering the amount of attention I have given other areas of visual deep sky observing, I way behind on giving M31 its due. After I get my astigmatism in my 25" mirror fixed, I'll be in even better shape to do so, so most likely next fall. How exactly do YOU approach finding objects in M31? Do you print off pages from the Atlas of the Andromeda Galaxy?
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John T.
Austin, TX
25" f/4.2 Dob
18" Obsession #701
4" Stellar Vue Achromat
8X56 Binos
Edited by tatarjj (10/31/09 05:27 PM)
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Carol L
Reged: 07/05/04
Posts: 6034
Loc: Tomahawk, WI 45N//89W
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Mine's a 3-way tie between M13, the Veil, and M44.
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 Authoring the monthly AstroSketch page in "Sky at Night" magazine
Lunar Sketch Tutorial
CN Gallery
Photo Gallery
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 12230
Loc: Los Angeles
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Quote:
Quote:
M31 for sure.
When I was young it was seeing the shape.
When I got older, it was detecting the lanes.
When I got older still, it became spotting globulars in M31.
Now it's seeing individual stars in NGC206, and tracking the maximum extent of the galaxy--especially tracking down outlying H-II regions.
But, a lot of hours in more different scopes than I can even remember.
Best view of overall shape: 11x80 binos under mag.21.8 skies
Best view of dark lanes: 12.5" at low power
Best view of globular G-1 (Mayall-II): 60" at 488X
Best view of core and dark areas therein: 28"
Best view of NGC206: 12.5" at ~230X on a very dark night with superb seeing.
#2 most viewed object is, for sure, M42. I've caught the G and H1 stars in the Trapezium with the 12.5", but the view of the Trapezium area with the 60" was an eye-opener: the region looked like a large piece of Swiss cheese with a star in every hole. Simply amazing.
Don,
I really would like to get around to going deep on M31 someday soon. Considering the amount of attention I have given other areas of visual deep sky observing, I way behind on giving M31 its due. After I get my astigmatism in my 25" mirror fixed, I'll be in even better shape to do so, so most likely next fall. How exactly do YOU approach finding objects in M31? Do you print off pages from the Atlas of the Andromeda Galaxy?
http://astronomy-mall.com/Adventures.In.Deep.Space/gcm31.htm
http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/M31NMmosaicglobs.html
http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/ANDROMEDA_Atlas/frames.html
I have a separate folder with all this printed.
And Megastar on my computer.
It's amazing how many things can be seen in M31.
I haven't really scratched the surface.
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov, Fujinon Binos
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member
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scoping
super member
Reged: 01/05/09
Posts: 156
Loc: Jacksonville,Fl
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M42 and m31.
Mark Kaupas
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GlennLeDrew
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/18/08
Posts: 1304
Loc: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Like Tony Flanders, I consider the milky way to be a DSO. And I might gaze at it nearly as much as all other discrete objects combined.
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Home-made 11X50 right angle bino, 8.1 deg. FOV
Modified 26X100 bino, 3.5 deg. FOV
Home-made Mk II RA bino, using interchangeable objectives and eyepieces
My Gallery
Mediocre minds discuss people. Good minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.
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teskridg
sage
Reged: 01/15/08
Posts: 281
Loc: PA
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M36, M37, M38, M35- all in the same general section of the sky, and all glorious. Globulars: M22, M13, M92. Obviously, I prefer the clusters to galaxies and nebulae, M42 excepted.
Tim
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Tim Eskridge
CPC 800
Scopebuggy
Burgess Binoviewer Model 24
8mm Radian
11mm Nagler
15mm GTO
20mm Burgess binolite and Stellar
26mm Meade SP Series 4000
30mm Vixen NPL
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 12230
Loc: Los Angeles
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Quote:
M36, M37, M38, M35- all in the same general section of the sky, and all glorious. Globulars: M22, M13, M92. Obviously, I prefer the clusters to galaxies and nebulae, M42 excepted.
Tim
Back when I got started in the early '60s, star clusters were the recommended targets for beginners and smaller scopes.
But, thanks to the 2-edged sword we call The Hubble, beginners now seem to want to see nebulae and galaxies.
Which are harder and usually need larger scopes.
With over 5000 clusters to view in the sky, and with no 2 of them identical in appearance, and all visible in small, portable, scopes, your preference should be more the norm than it is.
Since it's up now, try M15. High in the sky, it holds magnification well, and OH! that core!.
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov, Fujinon Binos
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member
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Jack Tripper
sage
Reged: 05/10/09
Posts: 349
Loc: Canada
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Another 2 hours spent on my favorite object, M31. Nothing else in the night sky can provide me with the same feelings. Andromeda is more that just visually stunning. It also evokes feelings of awe and tranquility.
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Celestron CPC 1100
Denkmeier S2 Power Filter Switch Diagonal (.66x Reducer, 2x Barlow)
Ethos 17mm, Baader Scopos 30mm
Lunt 60mm Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Scope, Lunt Zoom
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joewambo
journeyman
Reged: 10/28/07
Posts: 8
Loc: indiana, USA
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I really enjoy:
M 35/ngc 2168 as my most observed open cluster/'s
M 22 is by far the globular I've spent the most time on, I love the sheer size and fine grain texture. If only I lived in a southern location for this one.
NGC 2392/7662/6543 for planetary nebula especially when seeing permits higher mag./delicate detail.
M 31/M82/4565/5907 for galaxies. I agree, Andromeda and satellites are awesome and never dissapoint. The other's are my favorites that I try to tease the most mottling and dark lanes that I can out of them. M 82 has to be one of my favorites.
As far as emission nebula M42 by far and M17 as second.
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Clear Skies
joe W.
12.5 inch truss dob(stevens primary)
Naglers (5,9,13) 7mm XW (35,2-24mm) panoptics
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joelimite
sage
Reged: 09/01/08
Posts: 235
Loc: Fayetteville, AR
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My list deviates little from everyone else's:
M42, M31, M57, M27, Double Cluster, M17, M8, M13, M81, M82, M22, M45 (with binoculars), and a few others that escape me right now
Last night I spent quite a while on M31, the Double Cluster, M45, and M27 (before it got too low in the sky). For some reason the Dumbbell Nebula is one of my favorites. It's so much more pronounced than its neighbor m57 and looks wonderful with a narrowband filter.
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Orion XT8 Dob w/ Moonlite 2-speed Crayford focuser, Vixen A80MF w/ GSO 2-speed Crayford and Porta Mount
32mm Televue Plossl, 31mm Hyperion Aspheric, 24mm Meade SWA, 17,13,8mm Hyperions, 6,5,4mm TMB Planetary, 5mm Baader Genuine Ortho
Garrett Optical 20x80 UL Binoculars, Nikon Action Extreme 10x50 Binoculars
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Jack Tripper
sage
Reged: 05/10/09
Posts: 349
Loc: Canada
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Very diverse list. Once again, M42 seems to be on top of most people's list. I have yet to see it through my 11".
I just pulled another 2 hours on M31. I just can't get enough! 
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Celestron CPC 1100
Denkmeier S2 Power Filter Switch Diagonal (.66x Reducer, 2x Barlow)
Ethos 17mm, Baader Scopos 30mm
Lunt 60mm Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Scope, Lunt Zoom
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mapofthedead
super member
Reged: 06/01/06
Posts: 148
Loc: Cambs, UK
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I guess I'll add another M42, such an easy object to find which belies how glorious it is.
M13, M27 and M57 all come a close whatever
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You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him discover it in himself.
-- Galileo Galilei
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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 10516
Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth
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After the crowd of visitors had departed the final public observing session of 2009 at the Naylor Observatory last night, I had a look at M42 (and M43, Iota Orionis, NGC 1981, Sigma Orionis, and Struve 761) with the ASH 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain before closing up the French Dome.
http://www.astrohbg.org/ASH-i/Naylor_Observatory_info.html
Dave Mitsky
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Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
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nunciusaustralis
super member
Reged: 09/25/09
Posts: 100
Loc: Rio de janeiro, Brazil
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Probabbly the Jewell Box. I do like o.c.
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Nuncius Australis
70mm celestron EQ
9x50 finderscope
15X80mm binocular
20mm e 10mm k eye pieces
2xomni barlow
www.nunciusaustralis.blogspot.com
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Houdini
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/13/07
Posts: 525
Loc: Europe
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Most time spent on M1, M33, M42, M51, Veil.
Five stunning objects, the Crab Nebula with its filaments being my all-time favorite.
Robert
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16" f/4.9 motorized alt-az, 25" f/5 Dobson, 43" f/4 alt-az under construction
Mirror Edge Support Calculator
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TomN
sage
Reged: 01/14/09
Posts: 264
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Double Cluster and M13 but also the three clusters in Auriga get a lot of my time...M36, M37, and M38.
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Amateur Astronomer since 1962.
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AndrewJ
member
Reged: 08/21/09
Posts: 39
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I have only been observing with a 'scope (8") for 5 months but I have become fascinated by the Pegasus I cluster. On a clear night can see three galaxies and the core of 7619. Amazing to see so far and into another supercluster!
Otherwise, M77 is a current favourite. NGC 253 highly disappointing at my lattitude.
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monkeygodbob
member
Reged: 05/28/07
Posts: 92
Loc: Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, USA
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I Would have to say The object(s) I observe the most would be The Great Hercules Cluster M13 (Its the first Glob I have ever found on my own with just a RDF and my eye, and the easiest to find, Easiest to show to friends and family). Tied with M13, would have to be The Orion Nebula (because in my itty bitty 4.5 Reflector this is the only 'wispy' Object that Actually has Detail, And its easy to point out in the sky, And I could find it with my eyes closed ). I live just 10 miles north of Minneapolis which is the main city of Minnesota, So not so much detail can be had out of Fainter objects...at least that's how my Excuse goes
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Equipment that I currently have are
4.5" Orion Starblast (dob mount)
6mm and 17mm Explorer eye pieces(pretty much the suck) and a 32mm Orion Plossl and a New (used) 3X Antares 1.25" Barlow, And a New (used) 2X Antares 1.25" Barlow!
Current Savings...$0.00, a Canon PowerShot A560(149.99$).
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Michael & Louise
member
Reged: 06/02/08
Posts: 22
Loc: Calgary, Alberta
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I used to spend a lot of time on M42/M43 but also some of the rich open clusters like M35 or the Auriga clusters take some time to accurately observe and sketch.
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Louise and Michael
http://milou.blackapplehost.com/Astrohomepage/htmlfiles/index2.html
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tog
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/17/05
Posts: 1401
Loc: Front Yard
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Like lots of other folks here, I like M42, M57, M27, and M13. These objects never get old and seems I find something new each time I look at them.
Tog
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