Expert: Paul Wagner - 2/27/2007

Question
Which nebula and galaxy will I be able to see in Corpus Christi,Tx with a small telescope in March.

Answer
Hi John:

This is a great question, but there are a lot of variables.  The two most important ones are:

How small is a small telescope?

And how dark are the skies in Corpus Christi?

If you have a department store telescope that has a lens of 2 inches in diameter, and the skies near your home are full of light pollution, then there are very few nebula you will be able to see.  M31, M11, and the Orion Nebula would be at the top of that list.  

The M number comes from the list of Charles Messier, who used a small telescope--3 inches, more or less--to observe these things from Paris.  (That's Paris France, not Texas!)  And he compiled a list of over 100 nebula and galaxies that he could see.  This was in the days before electric lights, so if you can find a spot with dark skies, you should be able to see almost all of them.  Check out this site for more info on that:  

http://www.seds.org/messier/

It has a complete explanation, plus both photos and maps!  Once you have mastered that list...you won't need my help anymore.

Hope you have fun--it's a great hobby, and I love looking for dim fuzzies!

Paul Wagner