Jim, The Astronomical League's Herschel 400 is very doable with your scope. In fact, the authors claim that "you need at least a 6-inch scope", but to see all that with 6 inches of aperture from my experience so far would require nearly ideal seeing conditions for some of the objects on the list. Anyway, I'm enjoying the journey very much, and suspect it will likely keep me busy for a couple more years at least. And, if I ever do get through it, they've come up with the Herschel-II, yet another 400 objects, a bit more of a challenge. After that, there's always the PK, Minkowski and Abell objects... I'm there! By the way, have you already worked your way through all the M-objects? If not, I would at least do that first. Here's the H-400 link: http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/herschel/hers400.html I've created a decent observing log template (MS Word or WordPerfect) if you are interested... -Rich --- Jim Gibson <xajax99@yahoo.com> wrote:
Thank you all for your comments. Being new, I am just going through a stage right now. I just want to see stuff.
Brent and Chuck, like you I do believe that the hunt is as important as the kill. I get a lot of enjoyment out of that. I admire people that have that talent, like Mike Bailey. It seems like he can look at a chart and find anything. Dave Bennett doesnt even need to look at a chart and he can find anything.
My dilemma comes from the fact that I just went through my Sky Atlas 2000 (which doesnt show everything) and made a list of every object (other than stars, and only some doubles) for 17 constellations now in the sky totaling 370 objects. I am wondering how I can get through it all. I am looking for a way to narrow my list down to those items that I have a shot at seeing before they pass over or before I pass over which ever comes first. Items that are listed as magnitude 13+ I listed but will probably put off for another day when I go through another stage. Brent, in you 40+ years of observing, you have no doubt been through a few stages. Some of these fevers only time and experience can cure. But, your kind Tutelage may redirect my fever to more produtive paths.
Maybe I should just stick to the Hershel 400 or some list like that for now.
It was an education in itself just looking the items up in the NGC catalog and in Burnhams. You have to have something to do on a snowy day.
Jim
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