105 Finest Objects For The LX200 by Nigel Puttick
#	Object	Const	Keypad	(Mag)/[Sep]	Type of Object	Description
1	M81	UMa	M81	8	Spiral galaxy	M81's bright core and fainter outer parts can be seen in a 10-inch scope at 80x. 1.
2	M82	UMa	M82	9	Irregular galaxy	M82 is the nearby spindle-shaped companion of M81. Dark lanes are visible in a 10-inch. 2.
3	Gamma	Leo	*296	(3,4)[4.5"]	Double star	Gamma Leonis is a beautiful yellow pair, 4.5-seconds apart, easily split in a 3-inch. 3.
4	NGC3242	Hya	NGC3242	9	Planetary nebula	NGC3243 is one of the brightest and easiest of all planetary nebulae. Visible as a blue disk in a 3-inch at 90x.
5	Xi	UMa	*297	(4,5)[2.5"]	Double star	Xi Ursa Majoris forms a tight white pair (2.5-seconds) in a 6-inch.
6	Delta	Crv	*123	(3,8)[24"]	Double star	Delta Corvi is a wide (24-second) pair, white and lilac, in colour.
7	24	Com	*302	(5,7)[20"]	Double star	24 Coma Berenices, a 20-second pair show orange and blue-green stars, vivid in larger scopes.
8	M104	Vir	M104	9	Spiral galaxy	M104, the Sombrero galaxy, shows the dark equatorial band in a 13-inch at 190x. Small instruments show only a hazy ellipse.
9	Gamma	Vir	*303	(4,4)[5"]	Double star	Gamma Virginis, one of the best-known binary stars, has a white pair of nearly the same magnitude, nearly 5-seconds apart.
10	Gamma	CVn	SAO44317	(5-7)	Red star	Y Canum Venaticorm has a deep orange colour, particularly intense in small apertures.
11	M94	CVn	M94	8	Spiral galaxy	M94 is a very bright galaxy, round and featureless in small instruments, but easy to see.
12	Alpha	CVn	*133	(3,5)[20"]	Double star	Cor Caroli, a 20-second blue-white double, is one of the best for small scopes.
13	M64	Com	M64	9	Spiral galaxy	M64, the Blackeye galaxy, large and bright, needs a 6-inch to see the dark central patch which gives rise to its nickname.
14	Zeta	UMa	*305	(2,4)[15"]	Double star	Mizar is a fine double, its components, both white, 15-seconds apart, while Alcor is 12-minutes away. Excellent for comparing what the naked eye can see with what the telescope reveals.
15	M51	CVn	M51	8	Spiral galaxy	M51, the Whirlpool galaxy, shows hints of its spiral structure in a 10-inch at 80x. Its closecompanion, NGC5195, gives the appearance of a double nebula in wider fields of view.
16	M3	CVn	M3	6	Globular cluster	M3 is the first bright globular cluster of the spring skies. It is partly resolved in a 6-inch and completely so in a 13-inch.
17	Epsilon	Boo	*311	(3,5)[3.5"]	Double star	Epsilon Bootis, a 3.5-second pair, has yellow primary and a blue secondary. They can be split in good seeing with a 3-inch.
18	Xi	Boo	*312	(5,7)[7"]	Double star	Xi Bootis, a yellow and red visual binary, (7-seconds) are easily split with modest instruments.
19	M5	Ser	M5	6	Globular cluster	M5, a marvelous object in a 10-inch, rivals M13.
20	Mu	Boo	*316	(4,7,8)[2"]	Triple star	Mu Bootis is a fine triple star, being a wide double (108-seconds) whose fainter member is a close 2-second pair.
21	Delta	Ser	*317	(4,5)[4"]	Double star	Delta Serpentis offers a fine white pair for a 3-inch. Separation is 4-seconds.
22	Zeta	CrB	*318	(5,6)[6"]	Double star	Zeta Coronae Borealis a 6-second double consisting of nearly equally bright bluish and greenish stars. Colours definite in a 6-inch.
23	Xi	Sco	*319	(-)[1,8,12"]	Quintuple star	Xi Scorpii is triple, part of a multiple system, a 1-second pair with another 8-seconds away. In the same field is the 12-second pair, Struve 1999. A 3-inch shows only four stars, a 6-inch at least is needed to split the close pair.
24	Beta	Sco	*172	(3,5)[14"]	Double star	Beta Scorpii resembles Mizar, being a 14-second blue-white pair. It makes for an interesting colour comparison with Antares.
25	Nu	Sco	SAO159764	(4,6,7,8)	Quadruple star	Nu Scorpii is a colourful double-double, a 2-second pair and a 1-second, 42-seconds apart. A 6-inch at least is needed to resolve all four stars.
26	M4	Sco	M4	6	Globular cluster	M4 is large and easily resolved, best seen in larger instruments. These show many faint stars in apparent chains, giving a feeling of dark lanes crossing the cluster.
27	Alpha	Sco	Antares	(1,6)[3.5"]	Double star	Antares is a beautiful, unequal double star, red and emerald green. Because it is only 3.5-seconds away and much fainter, the companion is difficult in 6 to 8-inch scopes. Even though it may not be resolved, the companion will show a green tinge to one si
28	16-17	Dra	SAO30012	(6,6,7)[1.5']	Triple star	16 and 17 Draconis, 1.5-minutes apart form a triple, the brighter components are nearly equal, and the primary has a close companion.
29	M13	Her	M13	6	Globular cluster	M13, the finest northern globular cluster, hints at resolution in a 3-inch and resolves well in a 6-inch.
30	NGC6210	Her	NGC6210	10	Planetary nebula	NGC6210 is a small but bright planetary nebula showing a featureless blue disk in smaller scopes.
31	M12	Oph	M12	7	Globular cluster	M12 and
32	M10	Oph	M10	7	Globular cluster	M10 are similar globular clusters only a few degrees apart, the best of many in Ophiuchus. They appear granular in a 4-inch and can be resolved in a 10-inch.
33	Alpha	Her	*327	(3,5)[4.5"]	Double star	Alpha Herculis consists of an intensely coloured orange and blue-green pair, 4.5 seconds apart.
34	Delta	Her	*191	(3,9)[9"]	Double star	Delta Herculis, colours white and purple, is an optical 9-second pair.
35	M92	Her	M92	6	Globular cluster	M92 is a globular with a bright center. Often overlooked because of its neighbour, M13. Easily seen in a 3-inch.
36	Rho	Her	*328	(5,5)[4"]	Double star	Rho Herculis, a 4-second double, is attractive even in small scopes.
37	Nu	Dra	SAO30447	(5,5)[62"]	Double star	Nu Draconis. A pair of perfectly matched white stars of equal brightness separated by 62 seconds.
38	M6	Sco	M6	5	Open cluster	M6 is a large, bright cluster of scattered stars. This and the next two objects need a low-power, wide-field view of at least 0.5 degrees to be appreciated.
39	M7	Sco	M7	3	Open cluster	M7, a large, very bright open cluster, is easily resolved in a 3-inch at 45x.
40	M23	Sgr	M23	7	Open cluster	M23 is a large, uniform, and fairly rich open cluster, striking in an 8/10-inch at 150x.
41	NGC6543	Dra	NGC6543	9	Planetary nebula	NGC 6543, a bright blue-green ring, has an 11th-magnitude central star, just visible in a 3-inch. A fine object in an 8-inch or larger scope.
42	95	Her	*329	(5,5)[6"]	Double star	95 Herculis is a 6-second pair of bright stars, pale red and pale green in colour.
43	M8	Sgr	M8	(?)	Diffuse nebula	M8, the Lagoon nebula, appears as a nebulous patch traversed by a large dark lane and a scattered open cluster to one side. A 3-inch shows all but the dark lane, for which a larger scope is needed.
44	70	Oph	*331	(4,6)[3"]	Double star	70 Ophiuchi has a present separation of 3 seconds. The colours, yellow and red, are strong at 150x.
45	NGC6572	Oph	NGC6572	10	Planetary nebula	NGC 6572, a small, bright, blue planetary, looks like a star in a 4-inch. Colour is intense in larger scopes.
46	M17	Sgr	M17	(?)	Diffuse nebula	M17, the Swan or Omega nebula, can been easily seen in a 3-inch. The Milky Way background is quite rich here.
47	M22	Sgr	M22	6	Globular cluster	M22 is rated by the authors as the finest globular cluster in the northern hemisphere after M13. It is easily resolved to the center in a 10-inch.
48	Alpha	Lyr	Vega	(0,10?)[1']	Double star	Vega is a dazzling blue-white diamond. About 1 minute of arc to the south lies a faint companion, difficult to see in less than a 6-inch.
49	Epsilon	Lyr	*334/5	(5,5,5,6)	Quadruple star	Epsilon Lyrae, the famous double-double, is the finest multiple star in this list. Both close pairs, 2.3 and 2.6 seconds apart, can just be resolved in a 3-inch.
50	M11	Sct	M11	6	Open cluster	M11, the Wild Duck cluster, is the finest open cluster north of -40 degrees for large instruments, yet easily resolved in a 4-inch. Very rich and compact, it has a bright star near its center.
51	M57	Lyr	M57	9	Planetary nebula	M57, the famous Ring nebula, rates as the authors' finest planetary. Its central hole is seen at 100x in a 3-inch. The faint central star needs a large scope to be seen.
52	Theta	Ser	SAO124068	(4,5)[23"]	Double star	Theta Serpentis is an easy pair of white stars, separated by 23 seconds.
53	Beta	Cyg	Albireo	(3,5)[35"]	Double star	Alberio is a beautiful 35-second pair, orange and blue. These colours are much more vivid in smaller scopes.
54	M55	Sgr	M55	(6?)	Globular cluster	M55 is a large, rich globular, but so far south that it reqires a first-class night for a good view. To be seen as more than a hazy patch needs a larger scope.
55	NGC6818	Sgr	NGC6818	10	Planetary nebula	NGC 6818 appears as a bright, uniform, blue disk in a 13-inch. In common with other planetaries, it is starlike in small scopes at low power.
56	Delta	Cyg	*224	(3,6)[2"]	Double star	Delta Cygni offers a close (2-second) binary which needs a 6-inch in good seeing to be split. The primary is white, the companion blue-white.
57	NGC6826	Cyg	NGC6826	9	Planetary nebula	NGC 6826 is sometimes called the "blinking planetary." It consists of a pale blue disk with an 11th magnitude central star. Looking exactly at the star, the nebula disappears; while looking with averted vision causes the star to disappear in the nebulosit
58	M27	Vul	M27	8	Planetary nebula	M27, the Dumbell nebula, is large and bright, pinched near the middle in 4-inch at 40x.
59	Gamma	Del	*342	(4,5)[10"]	Double star	Gamma Delphini, a 10-second pair, appears delicately coloured yellow and pale green.
60	NGC7009	Aqr	NGC7009	8	Planetary nebula	NGC 7009, the Saturn nebula, is a very bright, blue-green, featureless elliptical disk. The appendages that give rise to the name are not visible even in a 30-inch reflector.
61	61	Cyg	*346	(6,6)[28"]	Double star	61 Cygni, a famous long-period binary star, has orange components 28 seconds apart.
62	M15	Peg	M15	6	Globular cluster	M15. This bright and very compact globular is not completely resolved in a 13-inch refractor at 190x.
63	Beta	Cep	*236	(3,8)[14"]	Double star	Beta Cephei offers an unequal 14-second double of blue-white stars.
64	M2	Aqr	M2	6	Globular cluster	M2, a very rich swarm, appears as a hazy patch in a 3-inch.
65	Mu	Cep	SAO33693	(4-5)	Red star	Mu Cephei, long-famed as Herschel's garnet star, is a semi-regular, variable super giant. It is almost red in a 3-inch, deep orange in an 8-inch, and yellow-orange in a 13-inch.
66	Zeta	Aqr	*347	(4,5)[1.4"]	Double star	Zeta Aquarii is a fine, 1.4-second binary. Both stars are white.
67	Delta	Cep	*348	(4,8)[41"]	Double star	Delta Cephei, a 41-second pair, is easily split in a 3-inch. The colours are pale orange and white.
68	NGC7662	And	NGC7662	9	Planetary nebula	NGC 7662 is a small blue dot in a 6-inch and a bright blue perforated disk with a 13-inch.
69	19	Psc	SAO128374	5	Red star	19 (TX) Piscium has a very red colour, apparent in all apertures.
70	M31	And	M31	5	Spiral galaxy	M31. The great Andromeda galaxy is finest representative of its class. Scopes up to 6-inch show a bright, hazy, featureless ellipse.  Some dark structure can be seen in a 13-inch and larger.
71	NGC253	Scl	NGC253	(9?)	Spiral galaxy	NGC 253 looks somewhat like M31, but smaller.
72	Eta	Cas	SAO21732	(4,8)[10"]	Double star	Eta Cassiopeiae has yellow and reddish-purple components which are about 10-seconds apart.
73	Gamma	Ari	*264	(5,5)[9"]	Double star	Gamma Arietis is a pair of equally bright white stars, 9 seconds apart. They are easily seen in a 3-inch.
74	Alpha	Psc	*265	(4,5)[3"]	Double star	Alpha Piscium is a tight, white pair, 3 seconds apart.
75	Gamma	And	*266	(2,5,6)[10"]	Triple star	Gamma Andromedae is one of the finest coloured doubles, orange and blue. At 10 seconds separation, it is visible in all apertures.
76	NGC869	Per	NGC869	4	Open cluster	NGC 869 and
77	NGC884	Per	NGC884	5	Open cluster	884 make up the double cluster in Perseus. Rated as the finest open clusters for small telescopes, they are superb in many.  Contrasting star colours are discernible in larger scopes.
78	Iota	Cas	*269	(5,7,8)[3,7"]	Triple star	Iota Cassiopeiae is a fine triple, with blue-white companions 2.5 and 7 seconds from the yellowish primary. Scopes 6-inch and above are needed.
79	Gamma	Cet	*271	(4,6)[3"]	Double star	Gamma Ceti. Atractive close (3-second) pair.
80	Theta	Eri	*21	(3,4)[9"]	Double star	Theta Eridani, although very close to the horizon at our latitude, is a brilliant pair of white stars 9 seconds apart.
81	32	Eri	*277	(5,6)[7"]	Double star	32 Eridani's components are yellow and blue-green, separated by about 7 seconds. Colour contrast is vivid in medium to larger scopes.
82	NGC1535	Eri	NGC1535	9	Planetary nebula	NGC 1535 is a small, pale blue-green disk with a faint central star. A 6-inch at 100x shows it but not the star; a 13-inch reveals both.
83	Beta	Ori	Rigel	(0,7)[10"]	Double star	Rigel is a blue-white star with a white, much fainter companion 10 seconds away. It is just resolved in a 3-inch.
84	Eta	Ori	*43	(4,5)[1.5"]	Double star	Eta Orionis, a bright white pair only 1.5 seconds apart, needs a 10-inch for separation.
85	Lambda	Ori	*285	(4,6)[5.5"]	Double star	Lambda Orionis is a 5.5-second pair of white stars.
86	Theta	Ori	*286	(-)	Multiple star	Theta Orionis. This beautiful multiple system is embedded in the Orion nebula. Six components are visible in a 4-inch.
87	M42	Ori	M42	(?)	Diffuse nebula	M42, the Orion nebula, is the finest difuse nebula in this survey- a magnificent sight! Even a 3-inch reveals darker areas and long filaments in this bright green nebulosity.
88	Iota	Ori	*49	(3,7)[12"]	Double star	Iota Orionis, a 12-second pair, is a fainter version of Rigel, with a hint of dim nebulosity. In the same field is the double Struve 747.
89	Sigma	Ori	SAO132406	(4,6,7,10)	Multiple star	Sigma Orionis is a multiple star, three components being easily seen in a 3-inch, four in a 6-inch. The bright star has a very difficult close (0.3 second) companion.
90	Zeta	Ori	*53	(2,4,9)[2.5"]	Triple star	Zeta Orionis has a bright close (2.5 second) companion and a distant faint one, all three being blue-white.
91	M37	Aur	M37	6	Open cluster	M37 is the finest of the great open clusters in Auriga. It is rich and uniform, resolved in a 4-inch at 40x, and has an orange star near its center.
92	Theta	Aur	*58	(3,8)[3"]	Double star	Theta Aurigae, a very unequal, close (3-second) pair; difficult in any scope much smaller than 10 inches.
93	M35	Gem	M35	5	Open cluster	M35, a large, uniform, and bright star cluster, needs at least a 30-minute field for a good view.
94	Beta	Mon	*287	(5,5,6)[10"]	Triple star	Beta Monocerotis is the finest triple star in the list. The components, all yellow-white, form a triangle of 10-seconds greatest extent. Easy in a 6-inch.
95	UU	Aur	SAO59280	(5-7)	Red star	UU Aurigae is a bright, very red carbon star, more vivid in an 8-inch than in a 13-inch.
96	12	Lyn	SAO25939	(5,6,8)	Triple star	12 Lyncis is a triple system, nice in a 6-inch.
97	Alpha	CMa	Sirius	(-1,9)	Double star	Sirius, the brightest star other than the sun, dazzles the eye with its blue-white brilliance. Under excellent conditions, the white dwarf companion can just be seen in an 8-inch at 280x.
98	Delta	Gem	SAO79294	(4,8)[7"]	Double star	Delta Geminorum is a 7-second pair with yellow and reddish-purple components.
99	NGC2392	Gem	NGC2392	8	Planetary nebula	NGC 2392 is a vivid blue planetary nebula with a bright central star. It is easy with a 6-inch at 100x, and a 13-inch at 600x permits dark structures in the disk to be glimpsed with averted vision.
100	Alpha	Gem	Castor	(2,3,10)[1',2"]	Triple star	Castor. The two very bright, blue-white stars form a close binary whose separation is just under 2-seconds. The faint third star, a minute of arc away, is orange and just visible in a 3-inch at 150x.
101	Kappa	Pup	SAO174198	(4,5)[10"]	Double star	Kappa Puppis, easy in a 3-inch, is a 10-second pair of white stars.
102	M46	Pup	M46	9	Open cluster	M46 is a uniform cluster of faint stars. On its northern edge is NGC 2438, a dim ring nebula visible in a 10-inch.
103	Zeta	Cnc	*293	(6,6,6)[6"]	Triple star	Zeta Cancri is an attractive but difficult triple. A 4-inch shows only two components about 6 seconds apart. The three, all yellow, are well resolved in a 10-inch at 320x.
104	Iota	Cnc	SAO80416	(4,7)[31"]	Double star	Iota Cancri is an orange star with a blue neighbour 31 seconds away.
105	M67	Cnc	M67	6	Open cluster	M67 is a rich swarm of rather faint stars, resolved in a 4-inch, is a fine sight in a 6-inch.