Objects to start with below Magnitude +10

If you have no idea yet where to start and which object is where in the sky then this page may come in handy. It describes a few objects below Magnitude +10 and where to find them grouped by constellations that are circumpolar (always visible as they don't set and rise.)
Most of these should be visible to the eye with good binoculars or a small telescope.

First: homework.
Have a look at this video of Peter Zelinka: 10 Tips To Become a Better Astrophotographer.
Consult a few programs to see if the object you want is visible at all, which optics and which parameters deliver what you want.
Locate the object with a sky map like https://stellarium.org
Look in https://telescopius.com/ for the focal length and field of view of the needed telescope and in https://app.astrobin.com for photos and the used parameters to capture them.

Gain <= 100: (low conversion gain) Much more noise, best for details in bright moon, sun and planets
Gain => 100: (high conversion gain) Super-low noise, almost all Deep Sky

Dithering: 1 or 2 pixels for very long and long focal lengths over 600mm. More pixels for under 600mm al the way to 20 for wide field. Take the settling time into your time window for capturing, so preferred every 2nd or third capture.

Ursa Major (big dipper)
From the end of the handle to the pan the stars are:
Alkaid - Mizar - Alioth - Megrez - Phecda - Merak - Dubhe


NGC 2403 east pointing triangle point with Dubhe and Polaris
M+8.5

NGC 2841 Tiger’s Eye Galaxy about 150% Megrez to Merak (upperleft to right under of the pan) M+9.19

M81 Bode’s Galaxy 1.5x past Merak-Dubhe and 1x to the right
M+6.9

M82 Cigar Galaxy right above M81
M+8.39

M97 Owl Nebula a little bit below 3/4 of the line Phecda - Merak (bottom of the pan)
M+9.8

M101 almost equilateral triangle with Alkaid en Mizar
M+7.9

M106 75% passed of the line Dubhe - Phecda.
M+8.39

M109 litlle bit left of Phecda
M+9.8


Cassiopeia:
Shallow triangle first then the rest of it:
Segin - Ruchbah - Navi - Shedar - Caph


NGC 281 Pacman Nebula, Just left from Shedar
M +7.4

NGC 457 Owl Cluster: 1/3 of Segin-Ruchbah right and slightly beneath Ruchbah
M +6,4

IC 1805 Heart Nebula: mirror Ruchbah over Segin
M +6.5

IC 1848 Soul Nebula: directly left off the Heart Nebula
M +6.5


Cepheus:
Triangle on top clockwise:
Errai - Alfirk - Alderamin - Garnet Star - 1 - 2 - 3


IC 1396 Elephant Trunk Nebula attached to the Garnet Star
M +5.59

NGC 7023 Iris Nebula at 40% of Alfirk to Alderamin and 3/4 of that outward.
M +7.19

Caldwell 9 Cave Nebula 70% of 2 to 3 and slightly outward.
M 7.69

Best read at a computer or (i)Pad screen
Most recent edit:
15-05-2026
20:33 UTC
22:33 CEST

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