Most of us work from observing lists. Let me share my "must-see-in-my-lifetime" list with you. This modern observing list attempts to include all of the finest splendours in the entire sky, chosen as objectively as possible and without any northern hemisphere bias. These 160 sights are the best that there are -- no pre-determined target number was aimed at; there are no featureless fuzzies. Because many observers will eventually travel to lower latitudes or to the other hemisphere to see those marvels which never rise at home, the list covers wonders from celestial pole to pole. Surprisingly, few lists have this focus. The Messier list, for example, includes everything that he knew of, so while about 60 Messiers are very fine sights, a significant minority are quite ordinary. Few observing lists cover the whole sky, while most lists offer a mixture of splendours, fuzzies, and challenge objects. Hunting faint fuzzies and challenge objects is great fun at a star party, but an observer who has an opportunity to travel briefly to foreign lands primarily wants to know what new splendours can be seen from there in a portable telescope or binoculars. At least 36 of these 160 wonders are visible without optical aid. Except for the few close double stars, all objects on the list can be seen with a portable 4-inch telescope under excellent skies. However, the descriptions reflect the larger apertures used by today's amateurs and the advent of nebula filters.

Many experienced observers will wonder why a favourite was not included. My thinking can probably best be illustrated by giving examples of the last ones cut. The open clusters NGC 4755 (Herschel's Jewel Box) and M36 were relegated to Remarks because they are badly overshadowed by NGC 3532 and M37 respectively. Some bright but coarse clusters which are visible with the unaided eye, such as NGC 752 and M48, have also been left off of the list. The most common aperture, an 8-inch, does not resolve enough stars in the globular cluster M53 to make it a true splendour. While M87 and M100 are major galaxies, they look like hundreds of others in the eyepiece. The wonderful Crescent Nebula, NGC 6888, was the object that I wavered over the longest, but many observers who don't have access to pristine skies cannot find it.

I have observed all of the objects on the list. If I have missed an object that you feel is superior to others of that class which are on the list, or if I have included one that you feel is not wondrous, please send me an e-mail.

Alan Whitman
awhitman@vip.net
 

N.B. All catalogue numbers not preceeded by alphabetical letters are NGC numbers.
 

FALL OBJECTS:
 

WINTER OBJECTS:
 

SPRING OBJECTS:
 

SUMMER OBJECTS:
 

Abbreviations:
 

Copyright Alan Whitman, January, 1999. Originally published in the RASC Journal between August, 1999 and April, 2000. Ask for the author's permission before linking this list to other websites. 

Special thanks to Geoff Gaherty (RASC Toronto Centre) for seting up this page in an easy to read table format .