SAA 100
Best Non-Messier Objects for Amateur Telescopes
Nominated by participants in the sci.astro.amateur Usenet newsgroup
List compiled by Karl Hutchings
Data added by
On March 15, 2000, a discussion thread began in the sci.astro.amateur (SAA) newsgroup when someone posed the question: "What are your favorite non-Messier objects for 8-12" telescopes?" Newsgroup participants responded enthusiastically to the question, posting many messages nominating a wide variety of objects.
Fortunately, newsgroup participant Karl Hutchings kept a cumulative list of all the nominations and totaled the number of votes for each object. When the discussion thread wound down a few days later, Karl posted a list of 90 objects that SAA participants had named as their favorites.
The thread was revived in mid-September, 2000, when SAA participants nominated an additional 10 objects, bringing the total to 100. The table below lists the SAA 100 in rank order by number of votes received. About half the objects received only one vote each; these are listed alphabetically at the end of the list.
This is by no means the only available list of non-Messier objects, and no rigorous criteria have been applied in the selection of the objects. However, since each object was nominated by one or more active observers, we hope you'll find the list interesting and useful.
Jeff DeTray
Updates:
http://www.AstronomyBoy.com
September 18, 2000 — added SkyMap Pro catalog files
September 28, 2000 — corrected some object types and descriptions; corrected SkyMap Pro catalog files
October 17, 2000 — new menu; revised explanatory text
• Files for adding the SAA 100 to SkyMap Pro as an external catalog: 
saa100.zip (14KB) •
(includes a plain text file of the list, useful even if you don't own SkyMap Pro)
SAA 100
Best Non-Messier Objects, in Rank Order
Object types:
Gal = galaxy OC = open cluster GC = globular cluster PN = planetary nebula BN = bright nebula DN = dark nebula SNR = supernova remnant
| Object | Type | Con | VMag | Size | RA | Dec | Popular Name | Notes |
| NGC 253 | Gal | Scl | 7.2 | 25.0'x7.0' | 00h 47m 35s | -25° 17' 01" | edge-on spiral galaxy | |
| NGC 4565 | Gal | Com | 9.6 | 15.5'x1.9' | 12h 36m 20s | +25° 59' 23" | Bernice's Hair Clip | classic edge-on spiral galaxy with dust lane |
| NGC 6960 | SNR | Cyg | 70.0'x6.0' | 20h 45m 38s | +30° 43' 20" | Western Veil Nebula | ||
| NGC 6992 | SNR | Cyg | 25.0'x20.0' | 20h 56m 14s | +31° 04' 20" | Eastern Veil Nebula | ||
| NGC 869 | OC | Per | 5.3 | 30.0' | 02h 19m 03s | +57° 08' 58" | Double Cluster | w/NGC 884 |
| NGC 884 | OC | Per | 6.1 | 30.0' | 02h 22m 27s | +57° 06' 57" | Double Cluster | w/NGC 869 |
| NGC 457 | OC | Cas | 6.4 | 13.0' | 01h 19m 10s | +58° 20' 02" | Owl Cluster | |
| NGC 5139 | GC | Cen | 3.7 | 36.3' | 13h 26m 46s | -47° 28' 45" | Omega Centauri | best GC in the sky |
| NGC 7293 | PN | Aqr | 6.3 | 16.0'x12.0' | 22h 29m 40s | -20° 47' 23" | Helical Nebula | |
| NGC 7789 | OC | Cas | 6.7 | 16.0' | 23h 57m 04s | +56° 44' 09" | ||
| NGC 2237 | BN | Mon | 5.5 | 70.0'x80.0' | 06h 32m 19s | +04° 59' 03" | Rosette Nebula | OC NGC 2244 embedded in nebula |
| NGC 2244 | OC | Mon | 4.8 | 24.0' | 06h 32m 25s | +04° 52' 03" | involved with Rosette Neb. (NGC 2237) | |
| NGC 2359 | BN | CMa | 8.0' | 07h 17m 48s | -13° 12' 54" | Thor's Helmet; Duck Nebula | Wolf-Rayet remnant | |
| NGC 2392 | PN | Gem | 8.6 | 47.0"x43.0" | 07h 29m 10s | +20° 54' 42" | Eskimo Nebula; Clown Face | |
| NGC 3242 | PN | Hya | 8.6 | 40.0"x35.0" | 10h 24m 48s | -18° 38' 14" | Ghost of Jupiter | |
| NGC 6543 | PN | Dra | 8.3 | 22.0"x16.0" | 17h 58m 36s | +66° 38' 17" | Cat's Eye Nebula | |
| NGC 4631 | Gal | CVn | 9.2 | 17.0'x3.5' | 12h 42m 11s | +32° 32' 42" | same low-power field as NGC 4656 | |
| NGC 4656 | Gal | CVn | 10.5 | 22.0'x3.0' | 12h 43m 58s | +32° 10' 21" | same low-power field as NGC 4631 | |
| NGC 5128 | Gal | Cen | 6.8 | 18.2'x14.5' | 13h 25m 29s | -43° 01' 07" | Centaurus A | strong radio source |
| NGC 6781 | PN | Aql | 11.8 | 1.9'x1.8' | 19h 18m 28s | +06° 32' 46" | ||
| NGC 6826 | PN | Cyg | 8.8 | 27.0"x24.0" | 19h 44m 53s | +50° 31' 42" | Blinking Planetary | |
| NGC 7009 | PN | Aqr | 8.3 | 28.0"x23.0" | 21h 04m 15s | -11° 21' 49" | Saturn Nebula | |
| Abell 1656 | Galaxy cluster | Com | 11.0 | 120.0' | 12h 59m 48s | +27° 59' 04" | Coma Gal Cluster | tough even in 8-12" aperture |
| NGC 1023 | Gal | Per | 9.4 | 9.0'x4.0' | 02h 40m 27s | +39° 03' 47" | ||
| NGC 2362 | OC | CMa | 4.1 | 8.0' | 07h 18m 48s | -24° 56' 51" | ||
| NGC 2403 | Gal | Cam | 8.5 | 17.8' | 07h 36m 55s | +65° 35' 42" | ||
| NGC 4038 | Gal | Cor | 10.3 | 2.6'x1.8' | 12h 01m 53s | -18° 51' 55" | The Antennae; Ringtail Gal | interacting with NGC 4039 |
| NGC 4039 | Gal | Cor | 10.6 | 3.2'x2.2' | 12h 01m 54s | -18° 53' 07" | The Antennae | interacting with NGC 4038 |
| NGC 5907 | Gal | Dra | 10.3 | 12.8'x1.8' | 15h 15m 52s | +56° 19' 48" | ||
| NGC 6369 | PN | Oph | 11.0 | 30.0"x29.0" | 17h 29m 22s | -23° 45' 37" | ||
| NGC 663 | OC | Cas | 7.1 | 16.0' | 01h 46m 04s | +61° 15' 00" | ||
| NGC 654 | OC | Cas | 6.5 | 5.0' | 01h 44m 10s | +61° 53' 00" | ||
| NGC 659 | OC | Cas | 7.9 | 5.0' | 01h 44m 16s | +60° 42' 00" | ||
| NGC 7000 | BN | Cyg | 175.0'x110.0' | 20h 58m 32s | +44° 33' 21" | North American Nebula | large; often easier in binoculars than telescope | |
| NGC 7331 | Gal | Peg | 9.5 | 11.4'x4.0' | 22h 37m 08s | +34° 25' 27" | Little Andromeda Galaxy | |
| NGC 7662 | PN | And | 8.6 | 17.0"x14.0" | 23h 25m 57s | +42° 32' 44" | Blue Snowball Nebula | |
| B 59, 65-7 | DN | Oph | 300.0' | 17h 21m 02s | -26° 59' 58" | Pipe Nebula (stem) | ||
| B 78 | DN | Oph | 200.0' | 17h 33m 02s | -25° 59' 58" | Pipe Nebula (bowl) | ||
| IC 1396 | BN | Cep | 3.5 | 154.0'x140.0' | 21h 39m 09s | +57° 46' 58" | ||
| IC 418 | PN | Lep | 10.7 | 14.0"x11.0" | 05h 27m 30s | -12° 41' 32" | ||
| IC 4665 | OC | Oph | 4.2 | 41.0' | 17h 46m 20s | +05° 43' 08" | ||
| Mel 111 | OC | Com | 1.8 | 275.0' | 12h 25m 00s | +26° 00' 07" | Coma Berenices Star Cluster | |
| Mel 20 | OC | Per | 1.2 | 185.0' | 03h 22m 03s | +48° 59' 56" | Alpha Persei Association | |
| NGC 1502 | OC | Cam | 6.9 | 8.0' | 04h 07m 45s | +62° 19' 49" | near SE end of Kemble's Cascade | |
| NGC 1528 | OC | Per | 6.4 | 24.0' | 04h 15m 24s | +51° 13' 49" | ||
| NGC 1907 | OC | Aur | 8.2 | 7.0' | 05h 28m 00s | +35° 18' 53" | ||
| NGC 1973 | BN | Ori | 5.0'x5.0' | 05h 35m 09s | -04° 43' 56" | part of Running Man Nebula | ||
| NGC 1975 | BN | Ori | 10.0'x5.0' | 05h 35m 21s | -04° 40' 56" | part of Running Man Nebula | ||
| NGC 1977 | BN | Ori | 20.0'x10.0' | 05h 35m 27s | -04° 49' 56" | part of Running Man Nebula | 42 Orionis nebula | |
| NGC 2070 | BN | Dor | 8.3 | 5.0' | 05h 38m 39s | -69° 04' 51" | Tarantula Nebula | in Lg. Magellanic Cloud |
| 3C 273 | Quasar | Vir | 12.0 | 12h 29m 06s | +02° 03' 01" | brightest quasar; most remote object visible in modest amateur telescopes (~ 2 billion light years) | ||
| Albireo | Star | Cyg | 3.1 | 19h 30m 45s | +27° 57' 55" | superb double star; blue-white/yellow | ||
| Cr 399 | Asterism | Vul | 3.6 | 60.0' | 19h 25m 26s | +20° 11' 18" | Brocchi's Cluster; The Coathanger | once assumed to be a OC; data from Hipparcos spacecraft shows it to be a chance alignment of stars |
| Fornax Gal. Cluster | Gal cluster | For | 3°x2° | 03h 38m 31s | -35° 26' 40" | approx. 20 galaxies brighter than mag. 13 | ||
| Kemble's Cascade | Asterism | Cam | 03h 57m 30s | +63° 04' 13" | first described by Canadian amateur Lucian J. Kemble; beautiful chain of about 20 mag. 5…9 stars; coordinates are for SAO 12969, a mag. 5 star in the middle of the Cascade | |||
| King 10 | OC | Cep | 3.0' | 22h 54m 58s | +59° 10' 16" | |||
| Markarian's Chain | Gal chain | Vir | 12h 25m 04s | +12° 53' 16" | string of bright galaxies; covers 3 degrees of sky, starting with M84 & M86 in Virgo, ending with NGCs 4459 & 4474 in Coma Berenices; coordinates are for M 84 | |||
| Mel 25 | OC | Tau | 0.5 | 330.0' | 04h 27m 02s | +16° 00' 03" | Hyades | Aldebaran not a member |
| NGC 104 | GC | Tuc | 4.0 | 30.9' | 00h 24m 10s | -72° 04' 37" | 47 Tucanae | |
| NGC 1535 | PN | Eri | 10.4 | 20.0"x17.0" | 04h 14m 16s | -12° 44' 16" | multiple shells | |
| NGC 2158 | OC | Gem | 8.6 | 5.0' | 06h 07m 33s | +24° 05' 56" | ||
| NGC 2169 | OC | Ori | 5.9 | 7.0' | 06h 08m 27s | +13° 56' 59" | "37" Cluster | |
| NGC 2174 | BN | Ori | 25.0'x20.0' | 06h 10m 01s | +20° 33' 58" | |||
| NGC 2232 | OC | Mon | 3.9 | 30.0' | 06h 26m 37s | -04° 44' 54" | ||
| NGC 225 | OC | Cas | 7.0 | 12.0' | 00h 43m 28s | +61° 47' 06" | ||
| NGC 2261 | BN | Mon | 2.0'x1.0' | 06h 39m 13s | +08° 44' 01" | Hubble's Variable Nebula | ||
| NGC 2264 | OC | Mon | 3.9 | 30.0'x60.0' | 06h 40m 58s | +09° 53' 42" | Christmas Tree Cluster; Cone Nebula | includes naked-eye S Mon (15 Mon) |
| NGC 2301 | OC | Mon | 6.0 | 12.0' | 06h 51m 49s | +00° 28' 04" | ||
| NGC 2360 | OC | CMa | 7.2 | 13.0' | 07h 17m 48s | -15° 36' 53" | ||
| NGC 2438 | PN | Pup | 11.0 | 1.1' | 07h 41m 51s | -14° 44' 06" | in foreground of M 46 | |
| NGC 2467 | BN | Pup | 7.1 | 15.0' | 07h 52m 30s | -26° 22' 52" | use UHC or O-III filter; includes loose cluster of mag. 8-12 stars | |
| NGC 247 | Gal | Cet | 9.1 | 20.0'x7.0' | 00h 47m 11s | -20° 45' 21" | ||
| NGC 2841 | Gal | Uma | 9.2 | 7.4'x3.5' | 09h 22m 01s | +50° 58' 21" | ||
| NGC 2903 | Gal | Leo | 9.0 | 13.3'x6.0' | 09h 32m 10s | +21° 29' 58" | ||
| NGC 3115 | Gal | Sex | 8.9 | 8.3'x3.2' | 10h 05m 14s | -07° 43' 06" | Spindle Galaxy | |
| NGC 3372 | BN | Car | 120.0'x120.0' | 10h 43m 47s | -59° 52' 01" | Eta Carina Nebula | ||
| NGC 3532 | OC | Car | 3.0 | 55.0' | 11h 06m 23s | -58° 40' 03" | ||
| NGC 3766 | OC | Cen | 5.3 | 12.0' | 11h 36m 05s | -61° 37' 04" | ||
| NGC 3877 | Gal | Uma | 11.0 | 5.6'x1.2' | 11h 46m 07s | +47° 29' 37" | ||
| NGC 40 | PN | Cep | 10.7 | 1.0'x0.7' | 00h 13m 08s | +72° 31' 47" | ||
| NGC 4244 | Gal | CVn | 10.4 | 18.5'x2.3' | 12h 17m 29s | +37° 48' 28" | ||
| NGC 4361 | PN | Cor | 10.3 | 1.3' | 12h 24m 30s | -18° 47' 38" | ||
| NGC 4526 | Gal | Vir | 9.7 | 7.0'x2.7' | 12h 34m 03s | +07° 42' 03" | Lost Galaxy | |
| NGC 4567 | Gal | Vir | 11.3 | 3.0'x2.5' | 12h 36m 33s | +11° 15' 33" | Siamese Twins | overlaps NGC 4568 |
| NGC 4568 | Gal | Vir | 10.8 | 5.1'x2.4' | 12h 36m 35s | +11° 14' 17" | Siamese Twins | overlaps NGC 4567 |
| NGC 4755 | OC | Cru | 4.2 | 10.0' | 12h 53m 35s | -60° 20' 08" | Jewel Box Cluster; Kappa Crucis | |
| NGC 5746 | Gal | Vir | 10.3 | 7.4'x1.1' | 14h 44m 57s | +01° 57' 20" | ||
| NGC 6210 | PN | Her | 9.7 | 20.0"x13.0" | 16h 44m 30s | +23° 48' 46" | ||
| NGC 6231 | OC | Sco | 2.6 | 15.0' | 16h 54m 01s | -41° 48' 06" | Table of Scorpius | zeta Sco complex |
| NGC 6397 | GC | Ara | 5.7 | 25.7' | 17h 40m 43s | -53° 40' 33" | one of the nearest Globulars | |
| NGC 6545 | Gal | Pav | 13.2 | 1.0'x0.9' | 18h 12m 18s | -63° 46' 45" | Needle Galaxy | |
| NGC 6572 | PN | Oph | 9.0 | 15.0"x12.0" | 18h 12m 09s | +06° 51' 01" | ||
| NGC 6633 | OC | Oph | 4.6 | 27.0' | 18h 27m 43s | +06° 34' 14" | ||
| NGC 6819 | OC | Cyg | 7.3 | 5.0' | 19h 41m 20s | +40° 11' 22" | ||
| NGC 6885 | OC | Vul | 8.1 | 7.0' | 20h 12m 02s | +26° 29' 20" | ||
| NGC 6888 | BN | Cyg | 20.0'x10.0' | 20h 12m 14s | +38° 20' 21" | Crescent Nebula | ||
| NGC 6939 | OC | Cep | 7.8 | 8.0' | 20h 31m 27s | +60° 38' 22" | ||
| NGC 752 | OC | And | 5.7 | 50.0' | 01h 57m 51s | +37° 41' 05" | ||
| NGC 891 | Gal | And | 9.9 | 14.0'x3.0' | 02h 22m 36s | +42° 20' 50" | edge-on spiral w/prominent dust lane | |
| Stock 2 | OC | Cas | 4.4 | 60.0' | 02h 15m 04s | +59° 15' 58" | Muscleman Cluster |
