Tonight I was actually to observe some pretty interesting objects in the sky. For those who are unaware, there was a French astronomer named Messier who was interested in finding comets. He compiled a list of objects in the night sky that could be mistaken for comets so he wouldn't waste his time on them. This list has grown to around 110 objects that many amateur astronomers try to observe for fun. The list contains nebulae, galaxies, and various other objects that are fun to observe because they are more than just points of light such as stars but can be seen by a skilled observer in dark locations.
The list of objects I observed tonight include Jupiter and the Galilean moons, several constellations, and 11 of the Messier objects:
- M3
- M13
- M36
- M38
- M44
- M51
- M53
- M63
- M65
- M66
- M92
I also spent a little time on the moon. I even took a picture using my cell phone (through the telescope). Unfortunately, I am not equipped for astrophotography... yet!
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