Finding targets to shoot

Will do thanks for responding 

Peety

Thank you

I also use Stellarium.  I also check images here and, if I see something I like, I check the FL of the imaging telescope and, if it is close to my scopes, I go back to Stellarium and check its location there.  If it is something I can image, I add it to my personal spreadsheet of objects that is divided into seasons.  When I get ready to image I check through my spreadsheet to see what may be best for that night.

I use Stellarium online to find an object in my view, then look at the name of the object, then I search the name of the object in Telescopius and plan my framing over there, and then I slew to the coordinates with my ASIair.

Telescopius also a very good filtering section for looking for the best objects for you; my favorite feature is the constellation filter; so for example, I can limit searching within Hercules, or some other constellation in my view.

I agree on the Stellarium, though make sure you enable the DSS survey. I also recommend building your own horizon file for Stellarium. That makes it a lot easier to dismiss the portion of sky you might have behind trees or buildings

Hi use Telescopius to plan throughout the year.

- You can input your rig caracteristics (camera, scopes...) and use the simulator to get an idea of your FOV on a specific target and plan your mosaics
- You can dive into each category of DSO (nebulas, galaxies and so on) that are showcased depending on the time of the year.
- You can use the search list to find a DSO according to its magnitude, location in the sky,...
- You can see when the object is best to be seen during the year, and then also on a daily basis, when it rises in the night sky, hour per hour, and compare it to the moon's brightness
- You can see pictures of other amateurs to get some inspiration or discover new objects
- You can create lists, which are very handy and sort your next targets into these lists. In my case, I have created 12 lists for each month of the year and allocated my targets into these lists. They would generally appear at least in two lists for consecutives month, meaning I would be able to know when to start shooting a DSO in advance, not waiting that this object has reached it's higher point in the night sky to shoot it.

A part from this, I read articles, watch tutos on Youtube, follow some channels I like on Insta and just wander around on the simulator using different FOV to get some inspiration.

Telescopius, Astrobin, Stellarium are invaluable tools.Here's one of the tricks:Find something interesting on Stellarium or Astrobin.If you found it on Astrobin, check the image details (focal length) to understand how it was captured.The object on Stellarium or Telescopius may not always provide information about the focal length, unlike Astrobin.Telescopius often shows the "best time for observation," so use this information to find favorable periods for this month.This way, you can discover hidden gems and see what interests the community.P.S. I recommend checking out Gary Imm's work on Astrobin and his Deep Sky Compendium. He has several wonderful lists of objects that will help you get started.